Tributes paid to freedom fighters

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 5. It was an occasion to pay glorious tributes to the freedom fighters who sacrificed their todays for the tomorrows of the coming generations. And in an atmosphere charged with emotion and patriotic spirit, the next of kin of those who laid down their lives for the freedom of the country were honoured, as an expression of love and respect of the succeeding generations.

When Mr. M.M. Hassan, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, presented mementos to the kin of seven martyrs who would have otherwise remained unsung in this part of the country, it was only a symbolic representation of the gratitude that the present generation would have longed to convey to the relatives of those great souls.

Neyyattinkara Raghavan who was killed in police firing in his native village on August 31, 1938, was among the first martyrs of the freedom struggle, from this part of the country. Kochappi Pillai of Kallara Pangode and Bharathannur Krishnan were hanged by the British administration in December 1940. Kochunarayanan Achari died in police firing in Kallara Pangode.

Vakkom Abdul Khader was executed in the Madras Central Jail in 1943. Petta Rajendran was killed in police firing under orders from Dewan Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer for opposing the moves for the formation of an independent State of Travancore. N.P. Kurukkal died in police custody under mysterious circumstances.

The next of kin of all these seven martyrs received mementos from the minister. Another 112 freedom fighters too were honoured at the function held here today in connection with the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations organised by the Department of Public Relations. The minister presented them with `ponnadas' and among them were Mr. K.E. Mammen, Mr. Juba Ramakrishna Pillai, Mr. R. Prakasam, Mr. Alikunju Sasthri and Mr. P. Neelakantan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Hassan called upon the younger generation to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice and the qualities of tolerance and conviction that Mahatma Gandhi and his contemporaries had endured in the years of the freedom movement.

The Gandhi Jayanthi will be celebrated in a more elaborate manner from next year onwards. The `service week' in connection with Gandhi Jayanthi will be reintroduced in the State, he said.

The former Chief Minister, Mr. E.K. Nayanar, observed that the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi had more relevance in the present-day than on any other occasion in the past. As an advocate of communal harmony he had contributed a great deal towards Hindu- Muslim amity. However, Gandhiji will be remembered more for making the freedom struggle a people's movement, he added. Mr. K. Muralidharan, MP, president of the KPCC, who presided over the function, said the lessons of sacrifice made by generations of freedom fighters have not been handed down to the present generation. In a society torn apart by communalism and terrorism, the Mahatma's life and his message should be made use of to provide a healing touch, he said.

Mr. K. Mohankumar, MLA, suggested that the history of the freedom struggle should be compulsorily taught in the schools in the State.

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