In a powerful recognition of courage, resilience, and grassroots service, C. Sadanandan Master, a veteran educator and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist from Kerala’s Kannur district, has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu. Known as a “living martyr” within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Master’s life is a testament to unwavering commitment to social upliftment and education, despite surviving a brutal attack by suspected Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] workers in 1994 that cost him both his legs.
At 61, Master has transformed personal tragedy into a platform for change, dedicating decades to rural education and advocating for victims of political violence in Kerala’s volatile Kannur region. His nomination to the Upper House, announced in the Gazette on July 12, 2025, celebrates his enduring contributions to community development and his role as a beacon of resilience against ideological extremism.
Following are excerpts from cover story by Organiser Weekly published back on May 8, 2016 in the edition titled, “Killing Fields of Kannur”:
Strange though it may sound, ‘Communist Party village’ is a reality in Kannur District of Kerala. It is believed that CPM has around 40 villages or pockets as their stronghold where they don’t allow other parties to work. Patyam, Mokeri, KizhakkeKathiroor, Kayyur, Chokli, Panthakkal, Madapeedika, Pookkom, Parad, Manantherietc are some of them.
In some areas, you are welcomed with signboards, “Welcome to Communist Party Village”. The real fascism fangs its tooth here but no human right activists are bothered about this. Here, no flag posts or posters of non-communist parties are allowed to exhibit publicly. It is nothing but a naked violation of the Fundamental Right guaranteed by the Constitution of our country. The living standard and conditions of these reveal the hollowness of the claim of so-called ‘development activities’ spearheaded by Communist Parties in Kerala. These villages are under the rule of communists where communist leaders act as feudal landlords. The condition of roads, schools
and hospitals are pathetic and appalling comparing to the other parts of the State.
We can spot countless party offices mushroomed in every nook and corner of the villages where there are no other infrastructural developments. It is a Marxian strategy to keep certain areas underdeveloped so they can reap the benefit of unemployment and take advantage of the backwardness of people.
An ‘outsider’ who enters these villages without prior permission or knowledge of the party is considered as an intruder and is put under surveillance by the specially deployed team. Here, all bus stops are painted in red. All the walls are booked only for affixing CPM posters and their graffiti. Huge statues of hammer and sickle are put up across the villages. Even pocket roads are named after late communist leaders. You shouldn’t get surprised to find a Moscow while walking down a street, remember, you are in a party village in Kannur. Taking a cue from the soviet legacy, they adopt such bizarre names for their children, places, vehicles etc. “Tarring” is align to the roads of party villages. Some areas do not have roads at all.
Several co-operative banks, co-operative service societies and libraries can be seen alongside the roads which are the major source of income for the party and party cadres. In Kerala in general and Kannur in particular, the party subsists on the co-operative sector. These organisations are under the control of the party and the party accommodates their cadres and goons and their relatives in various posts. Remember, they are eligible for all benefits equivalent to a government employee. These sorts of abuses of rule and law are rampant in party villages. The role of police is very limited as the party’s local, branch, area committees themselves act like local administration. Libraries and reading rooms are solely controlled by CPM. The library grants are allegedly channeled into the party account. Fund misappropriations in banks and other organisations are very common.
Social ostracism is another ordeal faced by the silent workers or followers of other political ideologies like RSS and BJP. They are barred from public functions and even from wedding reception and funerals. A large number of RSS-BJP workers and other non-communist party workers were murdered in these communist villages. The very existence of the concept of party villages itself is a symbol of communist intolerance. The villagers are looking forward to the future when these Party villages would wither away.
In contrast with the past, the number of party villages has declined with the advent of RSS, Jan Sangh and BJP. With the relentless work of swayamsevaks, many of such bastions of CPM have been liberated and are now open to all political parties. But nearly eighty swayamsevaks laid down their lives for re-establishing the constitutional rights in the region.
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