M.A.John - The excluded Congressman

For a political commentator of the post-independent history of Congress in Kerala, it is impossible to forget the emergence of Kerala Students Union and Youth Congress during the 60s and 70s. Today not everyone knows the fact that the central point of this big student-youth movement was and idealist young man M.A.John, the founding father of KSU. While the first ever elected Communist Government in the world was in power in Kerala in 1957, while the young students were all activists in the Communist Student Movement (SF), John swam against the tide and formed the Kerala Students Union, supporting the Congress Party, which was to emerge as a powerhouse for Congress in Kerala in the 60s and 70s. This being the case, it remains a big puzzle to political pundits as well as the layman, why John did not become the party president, minister or even an MLA! The followers and colleagues of M.A.John who were in KSU and Youth Congress, have all become MLAs,MPs and several of them ministers in the State Cabinet. The puzzle can only be resolved when one understands the degradation and deterioration of the political parties in India, in the 50 years after independence!

Beginning in Kurianad, Kottayam

John hails from a traditional and well educated Catholic family of Mattom Mannullil in Kurianad, Kottayam. Grandfather Ulahannan Mapilla was member of Srimoolam Assembly during the British Raj and his father Abraham was the Headmaster of High School. While at St Marys Boy's High School, Kuruvilangad, John protested against discrimination by the then Headmaster. That time the only student organization was Students Federation (satellite of CPI). The Church interfered and John was forced to leave the High School and join one in Kottayam.

Formation of KSU - Kerala Students Union

In 1957, John was pre-University student at C.M.S College, Kottayam. Those were the days of the Communist Government in Kerala. Students Federation was very active. Congress itself did not have, or even support the idea of, any student organization. There was consensus on countering this Marxist influence among the students. The result was the formation of Students Congress (later became Kerala Students Union) by M.A.John, Vayalar Ravi and George Tharakan. Congress was against such an organization. Only Quilon DCC (C.M.Stephen was the President) sent official delegates. KPCC Secretary George Mathen went on to declare KSU as a non-Congress organization. John and colleagues did not go back. The first state camp of KSU was held at Kuruvilangad School. The rest is history. The purpose of KSU was to face the orthodox and backward looking Congress leaders.

Youth Congress Secretary

In 1961 John was elected the first secretary of the newly formed Youth Congress. But these were the early days of Youth Congress when the Senior Congress leaders were reluctant to recognize the role of young people in the party. In 1964 Kamraj became AICC President and Youth Congress was dissolved. A new national committee was appointed with N.D.Thiwari as Convenor and Mohan Dhariya, M.A.John and Nandini Satpathi as members.

One of the big plus points of the Congress party during the Nehru period was the internal democracy which existed within. John formed a Socialist Forum within Congress in 1964. Though the local Congress leaders didn't appreciate this move, Prime Minister Nehru was not against it. Socialist Forum made waves in Bhuvaneswar AICC. In 1968 John stood against T.O.Bhava for KPCC president post. This was more of a symbolic protest against the leadership. But by then the internal democracy was dying within the party. John was expelled from the party. This resulted in the formation of Radical Forum which attracted large gathering in its meetings. Then there was election in Kerala. C. Achutha Menon was seeking re-election. Radical Forum supported Congress, but fielded 24 candidates which John considered to be Congress stronghold but given to 'xyz' parties as part of the election Front. The KPCC President K.K.Viswanathan pleaded to John to withdraw these candidates and promised to revoke the suspension immediately after the election. If John's 24 candidates were in the field, CPM Front would have definitely won the election, Kerala political history would have been different. But John realized this better than anyone else, and Radical Forum members though expelled from Congress did not want CPM to win. The candidates were withdrawn. After the election, K.K.Viswanathan forgot about his promise!

Back in Congress - 1972

In 1972 M.A.John was taken back in Congress. Within 90 days, John spoke in 120 meetings in Kerala - a record for a person who is not even an MLA! The 'Youth leaders' within Congress read thetrend and created confusion again. The Congress Meeting in Ernakulam was scrambled by rowdies and several of John supporters were beaten. M.A.John himself was at his home when this happened. Disciplinary action followed again and M.A.John was again expelled from Congress!

Congress Parivarthanavadikal

The expelled Congress members held a meeting at Town Hall Ernakulam. The news reporters ('Mathrubhumi' among them) called the meeting as that of the Congress Parivarthanavadikal ('reformists'). In 1974 in many Colleges in Kerala, KSU workers broke away from the mainstream and supported M.A.John. In most Colleges 40-60% of KSU followers stood behind M.A.John. This was a remarkable show of strength for a single man and his ideology. The momentum was being felt in other quarters of the party, then something happened elsewhere changed the whole picture!

Emergency!

In India, the state of Emergency was declared by Indira Gandhi! Newspapers were silent on criticism. Even the leftist CPM newspapers preferred to stay silent. John wrote articles in the magazine "Nirnayam" which was confiscated and John was arrested as part of the Emergency Laws.

While his absence, the organization suffered a setback. When he came out of the Mattanchery Jail after Emergency, John was disheartened to see discord in the organization. The result was a compelete withdrawl from politics. Nature took care of this total desolete period. Solace was found in the much postponed marriage when M.A.John married Lucy in a non-religious cermeony at home in Kurianad.

Back in Congress

In 1978 again the Congress in Kerala was split. This time, Antony and people miscalcualted and went against Indira Gandhi. John came back to Congress(I) and became active again.

The opportunistic Antony became the Chief Minister with the support of Marxist Party! Later, when the support was drying out, the cunning crowd knew where the wind was blowing, came back to Congress! Rajiv Gandhi's assassination yet again changed the political climate in India. Ministries were formed and pulled down without any norms at all. The political climate yet again suited unscrupulous opportunists. All this had only one effect - in spite of being back in Congress, M.A.John was deliberately kept away from the mainstream. John's position stopped at KPCC Executive member level.

The opportunistic politics became the norm in the whole state. Antony's opposition to Indira Gandhi was a classical example of political opportunism. These guys came back to Congress and again formed the groups. Even a small crowd who went after Pawar came back to Congress after bargaining for political posts.

Corruption is rampant in all parties. When the opposition is equally bad, it adversely affects the morality of the ruling party too. This is what happened in Kerala. A weak and opportunistic Congress leadership is the strength of the main opposition - CPM, the marxists. A corrupt and direction-less CPM is the strength of the Congress-Front. In between, parties like League, Kerala Congress etc fish in the troubled waters based on communalism and local interests.

This being the state of affairs, it is not surprising that John didn't rise to a more visible spot in the party. Nobody wants an idealist. Nobody wants an honest person at the helm! It's too dangerous!!

Kerala - A pathetic sight!

If John was deliberately kept away from the political limelight by the vested interests in Congress, let's see where Kerala, led by the 'other leaders' in Congress and CPM for the last three decades, stand. Kerala is today one of the least industrialized states in India. Kerala, though 100% literate, is far behind all the 3 South Indian states in terms of higher education. In fact, we rank only 23rd among Indian states in higher education! Kerala is also heading for the World Record in suicide rate! All these, in spite of the spice money and the new Gulf money! In short our political leaders, of the past two-three decades have been utter failure as far as the people are concerned. If the emergency blood supply of Gulf money were not there, the the 'patient' would have died long ago!