When VS took up cudgels for greens in Kozhikode

Though former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who passed away on Monday (July 21), had his political roots in Alappuzha, his connection to Kozhikode was both significant and enduring.

To the people of Kozhikode, three key events immediately evoke memories of VS: the Jeerakappara deforestation protest, the Ice Cream Parlour case, and the murder of T.P. Chandrasekharan. The veteran Communist leader left a lasting impression on the district’s residents, not just as a Chief Minister, but more notably as an Opposition leader known for his crusading spirit, fearlessness, and uncompromising interventions.

VS’s association with Kozhikode began early during farmers’ protests, but he became an undisputed presence in the early 1990s during the Jeerakappara deforestation issue. He stood at the forefront of the environmental battle to protect the evergreen forests of Kodencheri, home to the Thusharagiri waterfalls, which were facing destruction. Joining the protests led by the District Forest Protection Committee, he trekked through forests and hills with activists to witness the damage first-hand. His determined stance played a key role in the government’s decision to protect the forest.

Later, during the communal clashes in Marad and Nadapuram that cast a pall of gloom over the State, VS returned to Kozhikode in the role of a peacemaker. When the Ice Cream Parlour case —allegedly involving prominent political party leaders — was derailed, VS began his legal battle from Kozhikode, continuing the fight to the Supreme Court. He repeatedly took to the streets protesting the court’s decision to quash the case based on a police report. The 2012 murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, a former activist of the CPI(M), deeply shook VS. He rushed to Vadakara to console Chandrasekharan’s family, an act that earned him enemies within the party but admiration beyond it.

The image of Rema weeping on the shoulders of VS remains etched in Kerala’s political memory.