Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Leaders mourn Vijayan’s death

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, Ministers and political leaders have expressed condolences over the death of M.N. Vijayan.

In his condolence message, Mr. Achuthanandan described Vijayan as a courageous warrior in the progressive ranks who had awakened the people against imperialist designs and who had led a selfless life not influenced by desire for power or positions. The Chief Minister was certain that Vijayan’s contributions would prove trailblazers for many generations to come.

Education Minister M.A. Baby said Vijayan was one of the finest orators Kerala had ever seen. He had made stellar contributions to democratic Kerala as editor of Deshabhimani. Towards the end of his life, Vijayan had adopted extreme Left positions that endeared him to anti-Left sections and he even went to the extent of terming the People’s Plan Campaign, implemented under the leadership of EMS, an imperialist project.

However, his contributions when he was part of the progressive movement were of a kind that made these stains irrelevant, the Education Minister said.

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy described Vijayan as a creative presence in Kerala’s cultural scene, and said the issues he had raised would continue to be discussed in Kerala.

Mourning Vijayan’s demise, CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said he was a very good teacher. He had a love-hate relationship with the Communist movement and had become very hostile towards it during his final days, he said.

In his condolence message, CPI State secretary Veliyam Bhargavan recalled that Vijayan had played a pivotal role in the campaigns against imperialism and communalism, and said his death was a major loss for the progressive movement in the country.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala termed Vijayan as a writer with firm social commitment and who was fearless in his campaigns against injustice.

Congress Deputy Legislature Party leader G. Karthikeyan described Vijayan as a lonely traveller in the sphere of literary criticism, who was loved by even his detractors.

RSP State secretary T. J. Chandrachoodan said Vijayan was a thinker who enriched the mindscape of Malayalis with his lofty progressive ideals, original writings and deep humanism.

Left Democratic Front convener Vaikom Viswan said Vijayan had left a mark as a critic, teacher and orator. Minister N.K. Premachandran said Vijayan had waged a relentless battle against fascism and made contributions to progressive literature and cultural renaissance.

Bharatiya Janata Party State president P.K. Krishnadas said Vijayan’s death had left a deep vacuum in Malayalam language and intellectual sphere. All-India Congress Committee secretary Kodikkunnil Suresh, Sahitya Pravarthaka Cooperative Society president Sivaraman Cheriyanad and others mourned Vijayan’s death.

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