Kerala - Alappuzha   

Antony criticises VS’ remarks

ALAPPUZHA: Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony has condemned Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan’s reported remarks on former Chief Minister R. Sankar and termed them “avoidable” and “unfortunate.”

Speaking to reporters after attending an award function organised by the Kerala Brahmana Sabha here on Saturday, Mr. Antony said Mr. Sankar had to face a lot of opposition and controversies when he was alive. But his contributions to the people of Kerala in various spheres, particularly education, could not be ignored. Even Communists and others who criticised him vehemently in those days had later accepted publicly that their views were wrong.

Mr. Antony also said that Mr. Sankar had visited the Punnapra-Vayalar camps to avoid large-scale massacre of innocents and because he knew that they were fighting real bullets and not fake bullets as they were told by the Communists leaders. Several hundreds from his community too were part of the revolt. The CPI(M) and Mr. Achuthanandan should desist from making such comments about a great man, he said.

He pointed out that the Sree Narayana colleges in Kerala would not have come up had it not been for Mr. Sankar. The children of several Communist leaders too had received education from these institutions, he added.

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