Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], February 26 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed deep condolences on the passing of freedom fighter and veteran CPI leader R Nallakannu, who served as the Tamil Nadu State Secretary of the party for many years.
The Chief Minister recalled that Nallakannu was widely respected for his active interventions on various social issues in the state and was a prominent figure in strengthening the farmers' movement in Tamil Nadu, according to the CMO.
Ramasamy Nallakannu, one of the senior-most leaders of the Communist movement in Tamil Nadu, passed away at the age of 101 on Wednesday afternoon at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai.
According to an official statement issued by Madras Medical College and the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Nallakannu had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on February 1 due to health complications. Over 24 days of treatment, his condition fluctuated despite continuous advanced monitoring and intensive care by a multidisciplinary medical team.
However, from the early hours of Wednesday, his response to medication gradually declined, and his condition turned critical. Despite being placed on advanced life support, all his vital organs eventually failed. He was declared dead at around 1:55 pm.
The hospital administration expressed deep condolences to his family and thanked the medical teams involved in his care, along with the Government of Tamil Nadu, for its support.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin paid an emotional tribute to veteran leader R Nallakannu on Wednesday, calling him an "indomitable comrade" and a "political volcano" whose life would remain a guiding light for generations to come.
In a heartfelt message shared on X, Stalin recalled Nallakannu's unwavering spirit despite physical challenges, quoting the late leader's own words: "Even though I lack proper vision in one eye, there is another eye in my heart. That is the good eye."He described Nallakannu as "an uncompromising fighter" and a tireless champion of the working class who endured imprisonment, torture, and immense personal hardship without ever compromising his principles.
In his tribute, Stalin highlighted Nallakannu's close association with former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, fondly remembered as "Muttamil Arignar Kalaignar."
He noted that Nallakannu had stood shoulder to shoulder with Karunanidhi in protests against laws such as POTA, ESA and TESA, and strongly believed that Communist ideology and the Dravidian movement should work together as a "twin-barreled rifle for social change."
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