The Kerala government has declared a public holiday on Tuesday and three days of mourning following the death of former chief minister and Communist stalwart V S Achuthanandan on Monday.
Achuthanandan, known widely as VS, will be cremated Wednesday at the Valiyachudukadu funeral ground in his home district of Alappuzha, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said. This is the same ground where those killed during the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, in which VS took part, were also laid to rest.
On Monday, his remains will be kept at the party’s former state headquarters, AKG Study Centre, in Thiruvananthapuram before being taken to his house. The remains will subsequently be moved to Darbar Hall at the state Secretariat for public homage. On Tuesday afternoon, the remains will be taken to Alappuzha ahead of the cremation on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said VS’s death marked the end of an era. “His death is a loss for the party and the state. His life was a remarkable chapter in the history of Kerala as well as of the revolutionary movement. He has been a symbol of struggle, unflinching determination and uncompromising fighting spirit. As chief minister, he had been instrumental in taking Kerala forward. He got involved in several issues, including human rights, women’s rights and the environment. He played a crucial role in bringing several social issues to mainstream politics,” Vijayan said.
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said VS had been a towering figure in Indian politics. “He was instrumental in shaping the party’s direction, both in Kerala and nationally. As the Chief Minister, he earned acclaim for his firm actions against land encroachments, promotion of public education, anti-corruption measures, and environmental protection,” said the Governor.
Opposition Leader V D Satheesan of the Congress said VS had given a new perspective for Opposition politics in Kerala. He had been at the forefront of several agitations and became the chief minister after winning mass support as an Opposition leader, Satheesan recalled.
