50 Years of O.Rajagopal in Politics
S. Chandrasekhar
THE public of capital city, Thiruvananthapuram, gathered together at Kerala University Senate Hall on 30th December to honour BJP stalwart and former Union Minister O. Rajagopal on his completing 50 years of service to the nation and Kerala. The elite and the common rubbed shoulders. They had spontaneously come there to pay their gratitude to Shri Rajagopal who had done something for every citizen of Kerala, despite him being defeated in all the polls he had contested. He had crossed the level of a politician to that of a statesman.
Inaugurating the function BJP leader L.K. Advani said he was proud of Rajagopal for his wide acceptance in Kerala’s society. “This is a very important occasion, where more than speeches, the presence of eminent persons comprising of various political leaders, social and cultural pillars, is that what matters. Mother Bharat needs more politicians like Rajagopal.”
“Swami Vivekananda in 1897 at Chennai, called upon the people of India to give rest to all gods and goddesses and install and keep awake ‘Bharat Mata’ for the next 50 years. As a realisation of his vision, Bharat obtained freedom in 1947. Similarly I call on all the people of India to put aside, caste, religious, political, social and cultural differences and work conscientiously to make India No.1, in the 21st century”, he concluded.
Veteran Gandhian and National President of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, P. Gopinathan Nair, who presided, said Rajagopal was as ‘tall as Gandhi’ for his commitment and clean public life.
RSS Ideologue Padmasri P. Parameswaran lamented why he was not accorded ‘Padmashri’ for his yeomen service to Kerala. He called upon all parties not to put up any candidate against O. Rajagopal in 2014, enabling him to get elected unopposed from Thiruvananthapuram.
Opposition Leader and former CPM Chief Minister V.S. Atchudanandan said he and Rajagopal shared a forty year friendship despite political opposition. “We were in jail together during the Emergency and he is the embodiment of humility and humanity coupled with incorruptibility.”
The tallest poet of Kerala and Jnyanapeet Award winner O.N.V.Kurup said Rajagopal was an unnatural person for politics with his smile and gentle behavior. He said he is an embodiment of humanity and a model for politicians and parties. He called upon all to be a good human like Rajagopal.
Mayor K. Chandrika, Transport Minister V.S. Sivakumar, CPI State Secretary Pannyan Raveendran, former Minister Surendran Pillai, archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram Samuel Mar Irenious, Swami Tatwaroopananda of R.K. Mutt, etc. offered felicitations.
Rajagopal said he was touched and moved for all the love and affection showered on him by Kerala society.
A CD on interviews with Rajagopal brought out by Jeevan TV Channel was released. Rajagopal also handed over to NIMS MEDICITY M.D. Faisal Khan, an agreement for conducting 1000 dialysis for poor patients.
Earlier in the day CPM State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan visited O. Rajagopal at his modest flat and described him as a good friend. He recalled his friendship with late BJP Stalwart K.G. Marar also. Rajagopal said this personal friendship should be emulated by CPM and BJP cadres in Kerala.
