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Thousands in Kerala mourned former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other leaders paid tribute. Kerala declared three days of mourning.
The mortal remains of former Kerala chief minister and veteran CPI (M) leader VS Achuthanandan being taken to his native place Alappuzha from the state Secretariat, in Thiruvananthapuram. (IMAGE: PTI)
The roads of Kerala turned red on Tuesday as thousands lined the national highway, pouring in to bid farewell to former Kerala chief minister and veteran Indian communist leader VS Achuthanandan. Thousands took to the streets to mourn the man who fought his way from the fields and factory floors to the frontlines of India’s communist movement.
The turnout was staggering. In CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac’s words, “It has taken eight hours for the cortege to cover just 30 kilometers” indicating that it was not crowd control but the masses refusing to let go. He also posted an image of the sea of people lining the highway, referring to the photo he shared on X showing crowds stretching for miles to pay tribute to Achuthanandan.
Achuthanandan wasn’t like the other legends of Indian communism. While EMS Namboodiripad, Jyoti Basu and EK Nayanar came from privilege and found communism in its books, Achuthanandan lived the brutality they theorized.
Beaten and left for dead by colonial police in a pre-Independence workers’ protest, he got back up and never stopped fighting.
When he finally became Kerala’s Chief Minister, the office didn’t tame him. He took on land mafias, corruption and even factionalism in his own party. He called things as they were and for that, generations called him simply “VS”.
It is unprecedented! Crowds gathered to pay homage to the departed leader VS are so huge all along the NH, it has taken 8 hours to the funeral cortege to traverse the first 30 kms. It is a testimony of how much VS had endeared to the people of Kerala. Red salute Comrade. pic.twitter.com/R5kFFGUom2— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) July 22, 2025
On Tuesday, Kerala gave him a honourable send off.
In the morning, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited the residence of the late leader to pay his respects. State ministers, including V Sivankutty, and senior CPI(M) leaders also paid tribute.
The Kerala government has declared a three-day mourning period starting July 22 as a mark of respect. During this period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings across the state. All state government offices, educational institutions, public sector units, statutory bodies, and establishments covered under the Negotiable Instruments Act remained closed on Tuesday.
In a message shared on social media, Chief Minister Vijayan said Achuthanandan played a key role in Kerala’s political history and contributed to movements like the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising. The final rites will be held after the public homage.
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
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Thiruvananthapuram, India, India
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