CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran has hit out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not giving due credit to doyen of the Kerala Land Reforms Act, C Achutha Menon, in his speech. “It is dignity to give due credit to deserving people in history,” said the CPI chief.
The omission of former CM and CPI leader C Achutha Menon’s name by Pinarayi Vijayan while talking about Land Reforms Act during a ceremony sparked a row when CPI mouthpiece Janayugam, in its editorial on January 3, slammed Pinarayi for not mentioning the doyen behind the landmark Act. The Land Reforms Act, which eliminated the feudal system in the state, was passed by the Achutha Menon government.
During his speech at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Land Reforms Act held on January 1, Pinarayi Vijayan had omitted the name of Achutha Menon while praising other Communist leaders part of CPI(M).
“The Land Reforms Act was put in place by the Achutha Menon government in 1970. Everyone in Kerala knows this history. Those who are unaware about it, should read and study it. Giving due credit to the deserving people in history is dignity,” Malayala Manorama reports Kanam as saying during an event at Thrissur on Saturday.
Kanam is also reported to have said that CPI is not ready to share the credit of implementing the Land Reforms Act. “It is like trying to cover the sun with a winnowing fan. History must be evaluated objectively,” Kanam said reportedly.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala also reportedly criticised Pinarayi Vijayan for omitting Achutha Menon’s name during the speech.
After he was criticised in the editorial by CPI mouthpiece Janayugam, Pinarayi Vijayan reacted to it by saying that those slamming him are those who are not aware of the history.
Achutha Menon was the Chief Minister of Kerala for two terms from 1969 to 1970 and from 1970 to 1977. He was instrumental in coming out with scores of initiatives that still remain as a landmark in the development of the state.
He is known for setting up Kerala's first Science and Technology Department and formulating Science Policy Resolution as the Chief Minister. He also initiated advanced research institutions such as Centre for Development Studies, the Forest Research Institute, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology.
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