S.Sudhakar Reddy
I met Com CK Chandrappan for the first time on the last day of December 1965 at Pondicherry, where both of us were attending the national conferences of AISF and AIYF. Comrades P K Vasudevan Nair and Sharada Mitra were then the president and general secretary of AIYF. At those conferences Chandrappan and myself both were elected as general secretaries of AIYF and AISF. As a matter of fact both of us were reluctant to take up the all India responsibilities, as we did not have then any national-level working experience. PKV explained to us that after the split of the party many youth and student comrades had left the fronts to work in party and hence new comrades had to take up the responsibility. He spoke in very soft words but was very firm in his assertion. We had no other alternative but to accept and the entire team was new. The organisations were in disarray. But there were contacts and at many places comrades were active but there was no organisation in proper shape. As we took up the new responsibilities, I began as a part-timer both at the Centre and state. Gradually, that is after one- and-a-half years, I shifted to Delhi. Surprisingly I found that the comrades at the all India centre were not angry. They were rather very cordial. Our then central team of youth and students included Sharada Mitra, Dr Joginder Dayal, Ranjit Guha, Chandrappan and myself. For some time it was carrying out the routine work of consolidation of the existing contacts in states. Simultaneously attempts were made to expand to new areas. There was perfect understanding among the team members as to how to strengthen the organisations.
Chandrappan worked out in detail the programmes like Youth- Student Rally at Delhi on November 17, 1969, demanding among others voting right at 18, and employment for youth. It was a tremendous success with more than 20,000 youth and students joining together for the first time on such demands. No doubt, Chandrappan was excellent as a co-ordinator of team work and in planning of programmes and activities with a vision. Our department felt the need for expanding the organisation Chandrappan suggested that some catchy slogans and militant mass campaigns are pre-conditions for expansion. As AISF units were there in urban areas while AIYF existed mainly then only in rural areas it was decided to go in for joint activities. We found that our slogans of voting right at 18 and either employment or unemployment dole were attractive and acceptable to both the students and non-student youth.
Once the slogans were finalised we decided to have a three-phased campaign all over the country. In the first phase, state-level joint cadre meetings of both AISF and AIYF were organised to explain in detail the programme plan and to motivate the cadre. In the second phase marked by extensive tour of the AIYF- AISF central leadership mass meetings and conventions were held. The final phase witnessed the central rally at Delhi. A lot of spade work was also done before the actual day of the rally to make the national event a great success.
I remember I had been on tour continuously for 29 days to different states in one such campaign. Other leaders also toured in the same way. Chandrappan stayed in Delhi, co-ordinated the programmes, arranged tickets and used to inform us every week about our next tour programme. The response from states was wonderful. Good cadre meetings and massive conventions resulted in a successful massive colourful rally at the national capital. For the first time the English Press gave front page coverage of our activity with photographs and editorials on the demands. With great success of our programme in the national capital, we decided to hold the national conferences of AISF and AIYF at Delhi. At the conferences we were all re-elected. The earlier nationwide campaign had helped us in bringing new cadres, setting up of various new units in states and enthusiastic participation of their leaders at the national conferences. We could expand to most of the states, including Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other new areas. Chandrappan was undoubtedly the successful co-ordinator and team leader who contributed for building up the organisation.
During his period as general secretary of All India Youth Federation, new sections of AIYF were formed. They were of young women, young workers and young peasants.
Young women’s organisation was a big success. Till then AIYF was a young men’s organisation. For the first time not only young women, college girls and rural young women joined AIYF. Special programmes for young women were organised. Separate cultural programmes and sports activities were also organised for them. In fact several thousands of young women joined the ranks of AIYF. Later some of them became the cadre and leaders of NFIW unnecessary controversy, was raised whether a separate young women’s wing is necessary? Uncertainty had its negative effect on the young womens’ wing of AIYF and it slowly became defunct.
The next all India programme was nationwide satyagraha with the picketing of the railways, Parliament House, etc. This campaign was also massive and became successful. The next notable campaign was the youth festival movement. Youth festivals were organised at state and district levels with huge participation. Even youth who were not affiliated to AIYF and AISF joined the festival programme. It is in this background of being a true representative and leader of youth and students Chandrappan got elected as a member of Lok Sabha in 1971. This had given added enthusiasm to youth and student cadre. He toured the country extensively in his new capacity as Member of Parliament to build the All India Youth Federation.
Again after a long gap in 2004-2009 he got elected to Lok Sabha. In between he was a member of the Kerala assembly where he was chosen as the best. In 2004 I also became a Member of Parliament for the second time. This time we worked together in the House. I was a few years younger to him but we had excellent relationship more as friends than as colleagues. He advised and helped all juniors on many matters relating to the functioning in Parliament. I was surprised that even members of Parliament belonging to other political parties, including Congress and
the Left used to come to discuss with him, took his advice on the issues of debate in Parliament.
Chandrappan was very hard working and sharp. He was soft spoken but very firm on his ideas and principles. He was an excellent orator, which made him popular in Parliament. He was a voracious reader and used to read till late night and get up early in the morning. He was one of the most regular visitors to the Parliament Library. Indian Parliament has got an excellent library, which is not fully utilised by the MPs. I will not be surprised if some people had never visited the library during their tenure.
Chandrappan used to come to Parliament at 10.30 a.m. and stay till 6 p.m. or even late till Parliament is adjourned for the day. If the house is adjourned in the day, you can find Chandrappan in the library. CK used to prepare meticulously at home for participation in the Parliament’s activities. One day one senior Congress MP came to him and asked him how he managed so many questions in his name. Chandrappan laughed and said that one has to file hundreds of questions for every session so that you will get a few in the lottery.
He utilised every aspect of functioning of the instrument of Parliament — call attentions, adjournment motions, above all private member resolutions and bills, etc. He has got to his credit the highest number of private member bills and constitutional amendments in Lok Sabha.
One Congress MP jokingly told him, “Why do you not write an alternate Constitution and submit, instead of proposing amendment to every clause of the Indian Constitution.” Every one of us present there laughed heartily. His private member Constitution amendment bill for one-third reservation for women in the legislature got full support from all parties and large number of MPs participated in the debate. Woman MPs from all parties enthusiastically participated in the debate. He was nominated to the women’s empowerment committee of the Parliament. During the debates, he used to quote the resolutions of Congress Party and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to drive a point and this used to irk the ministers. He was decent in his criticism, never went out of parliamentary decorum. That brought him many admirers in
Parliament.
Chandrappan was not only a good orator but was also a good organiser. He contributed a lot as a member of party’s central secretariat for the development of the party organisation. His role as secretary of Kerala state council of the party, though for a short period, is well known, which brought new enthusiasm and self confidence in the cadre.
Chandrappan worked for a term as the president of All India Kisan Sabha. Earlier, he had the experience of working as the president of Kerala state unit of Kisan Sabha. Atul Kumar Anjaan was the general secretary of AIKS. Both of them worked with a team spirit. During that period Chandrappan tried to expand AIKS base. Crop- wise conferences were organised and new sections of farmers were attracted. Coconut growers’ conference was held. I remember areas like Goa, where there was no Kisan Sabha also organised them. Farmers from new areas in the states, where AIKS was existing, were brought in. It became a broad-based organisation.
He took initiative to organise crop-wise conventions for growers of sugarcane, tobacco, etc. He always encouraged younger comrades to take initiative to lead the organisation saying firmly that that is the only way the new leadership will emerge. Otherwise one popular leader and some following will continue.
Chandrappan never encouraged factionalism. He was exemplary in co- ordination and team work. We all felt happy to work with him as his colleague in the youth front, in Parliament and in party organisation.
My Red Salute to Com Chandrappan, who had been snatched away by death so suddenly, so cruelly. It is unbelievable that already one year had passed away after his death. He died physically but he lives in our hearts. His memories are fresh and ever inspiring.
(Source: New Age Weekly 8th April, 2013)
