Red Salute to the Padikunnu Martyrdom

On 4th May 1950, three leaders of the Communist Party of India, Comrade Rairu Nambiar, Comrade Kuttiyappa and Comrade Manjeri Veettil Gopalan Nambiar were shot dead by the police at Padikunnu, Kannur District, Kerala.

The Second Congress of the undivided Communist party of India was held in Kolkota in 1948. Making it as a guise, police and the congressmen made a witch hunt of the party men. Many party activists including prominent leader Moyarath Sankaran were killed in Police custody. During this period there were 1982 firing in various parts of India. 3284 people were killed. Over 50,000 persons were jailed. 82 persons were killed in jails. A large number of people went underground.

On September 1949, the Communist Party of India was banned. But it succeeded in mobilizing tenant cultivators and agricultural labourers behind it. They determined to fight against landlordism. Padikunnu incident is an example of how Communists were confronted during that period.

Kandakai Adhikari, the feudal chieftain prevented Oorada Kannan nair from harvesting his crop. Oorada Kannan Nair was a prominent worker of the Karshaka Sangham, ( All India Kisan Sabha ). The activists of the Karshaka Sangham determined to disobey the landlord and they harvested the paddy. This event infuriated the landlord who unleashed brutal oppression with the help of the police. A case was registered and the accused were arrested. They were taken to police station and sent them to the Police camp. On 1950 May 4 Comrades, Rairu Nambiar and Kuttyappa were taken out from the jail on the plea of sending them to court for bail. Comrade Gopalan Nambiar from the police camp was also included in this group. They were taken out to Padikunnu and was asked to raise the slogans like Communist Party of India Murdabad. They did not obey and the infuriated police shot and killed the three comrades.

In the memory of the fallen comrades of Padikunnu!, Long live the struggle for workers’ and peasants rights! The Padikunnu martyrs live on!