THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Nov 17: The CMP leader M V Raghavan has come out with fresh evidence to disprove Chief Minister E K Nayanar's claim of being the `hero of Kayyur struggle'.

Armed with a copy of the court verdict on the murder case in connection with the Kayyur struggle, Raghavan said that Nayanar's name was not even mentioned in the 88-page verdict delivered by Mangalapuram Sessions court which imposed death penalty on four of the accused. Nayanar's name did not figure in the list of the 60 accused, he said.

The CMP leader had also refuted Nayanar's claim that he was the third accused in the case and later his name was dropped from the list as the police could not catch him. The verdict by L S Parthasarathy Iyer, which was delivered on February 9, 1942, mentioned only about one political leader -- V V Kunjambu, who was the second accused in the charge sheet. The court acquitted him considering his educational qualifications and his prominent position in the society. Five of the accused had been given death penalty -- Madathil Appu (First accused), Kunjambu Nair (13th accused), Chirukandan (31st accused) and Abubecker (51st accused). Choorikkadan Krishnan Nair was also given death penalty, but it was commuted later considering his age. Then Choorikkadan was 15 years of age.

``After coming to power, Stalin tried to rewrite the history of CPSU to over-emphasise his role in the Russian revolution. Later E M S Namboodiripad did the same to undermine the role of A K Gopalan and to project himself as the real leader. Nayanar is doing the same, but in a more vulgar manner'', Raghavan said. ``If Nayanar had any role in the Kayyur struggle, or had he been involved in any organisational work those days, his name would definitely have figured in the list of accused or anywhere in the judgment. Now, V S Achuthanandan is also playing a Nayanar by posing himself as the leader of Punnapra-Vayalar struggle whereas the real leaders had either been expelled from the party or they left on their own'', he said. Raghavan said the incidents that led to the death of police constable Subbarayan was just a spontaneous one and there was nothing `organised or pre-planned' behind it. ``The poor peasants and labourers were acting spontaneously '', he said.

This is not the first time that Nayanar's role in Kayyur struggle became a matter of controversy. Earlier, the late K P R Gopalan, a prominent leader of the Communist Party, had questioned Nayanar's claim. On another occasion, Krishnan Nair, who escaped death penalty, had disclosed in public that Nayanar did not have any role in the struggle.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.