Kochi: In a heartfelt tribute to the departed Marxist titan, Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, remembered V.S. Achuthanandan as a political legend deeply rooted in the struggles of ordinary people and a leader whose life mirrored the very pulse of Kerala.
Describing him as “a Chief Minister of the people’s hearts,” the Major Archbishop emphasized that V.S. Achuthanandan’s presence in Kerala politics was not confined to party platforms or legislative benches it was in the paddy fields of Kuttanad, the fiery alleys of Punnapra-Vayalar, and the protest grounds where landless farmers demanded justice.
“Shri V.S. Achuthanandan began his journey by organizing the marginalized agricultural workers of Kuttanad,” Mar Raphael Thattil recalled. “He did not emerge from privilege, but from the very heart of people’s struggles. His early leadership in the historic Punnapra-Vayalar revolt against Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer’s oppressive regime laid the foundation for a lifetime dedicated to justice.”
The Archbishop highlighted how VS’s political journey was deeply intertwined with Kerala’s evolution from feudal estates and colonial vestiges to land reform and people-centric governance. His unwavering commitment to land reforms, particularly his role in mobilizing grassroots support for the implementation of the landmark Land Reforms Act, was described as “a cornerstone in building a more equitable Kerala.”
Throughout his eight-decade-long political odyssey, V.S. was never far from the working class. “He stood with laborers, spoke their language, and carried their pain into the Assembly and beyond,” said Mar Raphael Thattil. “He was not a distant leader. He was one among the people, even when he held the highest office in the state.”
The Archbishop also praised VS’s pioneering role in elevating environmental protection into a subject of serious political discourse. “At a time when development often meant destruction, he was one of the few leaders who saw environmental issues not as luxuries, but as urgent concerns that affected the poor most deeply.”
“VS Achuthanandan’s political life and Kerala’s modern history are threads from the same fabric,” the Major Archbishop said, noting how his trajectory from a print shop worker to the Chief Minister’s office reflects the democratic vitality of the state. “His resilience, clarity, and simplicity made him a trustworthy figure in Kerala’s complex political tapestry.”
In concluding his message, Mar Raphael Thattil expressed deep sorrow over the passing of a man who remained a pillar of people’s struggles and aspirations. “The departure of Shri V.S. is not just a political loss it is the loss of a conscience that stood with the downtrodden, the unheard, and the forgotten.”
The Syro-Malabar Church, he said, offers its sincere condolences to the bereaved family and the comrades who now carry the torch of the ideals VS embodied.
As Kerala prepares to lay to rest one of its most iconic sons, the tribute from one of its foremost spiritual shepherds reflects the profound impact V.S. Achuthanandan had across ideologies, classes, and communities a comrade to the last breath, and always, a leader of the people.