-Ganesh Krishnan R in Kannur-
The dwellers of Kannur and surrounding areas are certain that they have got distinct gods of death, the living communist gods of CPM, who dictate who should live and who should die. Here are the untold stories of intolerance told by the victims of Modern Day ‘Yamraj’ in Kerala:
“No Mothers shall suffer My Fate”
Swayamsevaks of Kannur observed 35 years of the martyrdom of VA Gangadharan a week ago. His mother Lakshmi says, “I can hardly believe that 35 years have passed. My son was a quiet and innocent boy. I still don’t know why they killed him.”
His brother Sajeev was a standard VI student when his elder brother was killed by Communist vampires. He remembers Gangadharan as an excellent orator. He was an active ABVP worker in Brennen College Thalassery. He was ABVP Taluk unit secretary and state committee member. He wrote for newspapers and college magazines at that young age. The party found him as an intellectual threat. They killed him only because he spoke against the undemocratic practices of CPM and associated organisations,” his brother remembers. This is the gruesome face of CPM.
Pathayamkunnu, is a small village where RSS has a strong presence but surrounded by many Party villages like Patyam. “My son was a brilliant student. He studied BA Urdu in Brennen College Thalassery” mother said. Gangadharan got a job as Bill Collector in Kalyasseri Panchayat. “He left house for job after breakfast on April 1. My son was hardly 24 years old. They killed him for no reason. We came to know about his death only after the police brought his dead body to our house,” his mother says.
What was the immediate reason? His brother Sajeev explains, in the previous year, during Panchayat Elections he presided over a function of the BJP's election campaign. Later, he was a booth agent for BJP in that election. In Kannur Party Villages, CPM doesn’t allow other parties’ booth agents inside polling stations.” Recounting that unfortunate day, his brother said, “My brother murdered on the premises of the Kalliasseri Village office on the sixth day after he joined his new job. There was a Jeep full of people who rushed into the village office and stabbed him. One of the accused was my relative. They were politically blind and believe in the principle of the elimination of ‘the party’s enemies’.” As usual the case was quashed without substantial evidence. The communist torture towards the family continued even after taking the life of Gangadharan.
His father, the lone breadwinner of the family, was running a ration shop. Now Sajeev is taking care of it.
As it began to get dark outside, it is the time to light traditional oil lamp as an offer to the Gods and setting Sun. In the backdrop of dim light, Mother Lakshmi was tearful. She murmured in shivering voice as a prayer to all Gods, “no mother shall suffer my fate”. n
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