Last of revolutionary Communist V.S. Achuthanandan consigned to flames

Alappuzha, July 23 Former Kerala Chief Minister and veteran Communist leader V.S. Achuthanandan, who passed away two days ago, was consigned to flames at Veliyechudukadu on Wednesday, amid heavy rains in presence of a massive crowd.

His son V.A. Arunkumar light the pyre at the final resting place of several of legendary Communists, most of them who were his associates either in the CPI or the CPI-M.

Another interesting aspect of this 40 cents of land where the Communists are laid to rest, way back in 1957 has been registered in the name of Achuthanandan, who at that time was a popular leader in Alappuzha district.

CPI-M in the country was formed when Achuthanandan along with 32 party leaders at the erstwhile CPI in 1964, walked out and the CPI-M came into being.

The body was brought to the final destination at 8:55 p.m. on Wednesday after a massive crowd of people gathered at his home, near here for hours and also at the specially erected pandal on the sea shore.

Waiting to see him one last time was his wife Vasumathi who was with him for the past more than six decades and was seen wiping her tears.

A nurse by profession, Vasumathi was one woman, unlike many of Achuthanandan's predecessor's wives, she was never at all in the limelight as her role was always behind the public glare.

This was one rare occasion where she was seen in the front row and her daughter was seen holding her tightly as she was busy wiping her tears as her son Arun Kumar light the pyre.

Just before the pyre was light, he was given the ceremonial guard of honour when shots were fired in the air and huge chanting of slogans when translated in Malayalam was "Achuthanandan will never die, Comrade VS will always live with us".

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the entire Cabinet, leaders from all political parties, including the Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak was a witness to the final goodbye to Achuthanandan, who will go down as the most popular Communist Chief Minister in Kerala.

After the police bugle sounded the last verse, the CPI-M's red colour cloth with its symbol which was covered over the body of Achuthanandan was pulled over his face and soon the body was covered with wood and coir sheets.

As this was being done, leaders watched it with a grim face as shouting of slogans reached a crescendo, many of them with tears in their eyes, as all know that there will never be another VS Achuthanandan.

Achuthanandan passed away at a private hospital here on Monday at 3:20 p.m. He was 101-years-old.

Even though V.S. Achuthanandan quit public life in January 2020, the massive turnout shows how dear people in Kerala hold him.

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