The left parties of India have shown respect to only those who respect the rights and aspirations of millions of workers and farmers of this country. The spirit of our nationhood was evolved through the painful struggle for independence that endured over a century. Roots of this spirit can be traced back to the historical resolution accepted by the Karachi session of AICC in March, 1931.This resolution included a charter of rights for ordinary citizens of a free Indian republic. It is the grand treatise of Indian national movement with the people of India. It was on the foundation of this agreement, the founding fathers of our republic consolidated all aspirations of Indians into well defined promises in our Constitution, which is the leading light of this vibrant democracy.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the government of India under Indian National Congress failed to deliver on the promises which itself had made to ‘We the people’ of India. These included economic, social and political rights to its citizens. ‘Land reforms’ was one of the most significant promises in the list. A decade after the Indian independence in 1947, a political earthquake happened in the southern most Indian state of Kerala, in 1957 that shook the whole world. Communist Party of India was elected to power in Kerala in the first general elections to Kerala Legislative Assembly, in April 1957, garnering a clear majority in the House.

Guidelines for functioning of the first communist government had already been published in the form of an election manifesto by CPI, on the occasion of the elections, painstakingly drafted under the leadership of visionary administrator and versatile genius C Achutha Menon. Most of the promises in that manifesto were those which Indian National Congress had forgotten during its sojourn with parliamentary pleasures. Comrade M N Govindan Nair, secretary of CPI in Kerala, was the brain behind the successful formation of a popular government by the party.EMS Namboothiripadu was chosen as the Chief Minister by the party. Stalwarts like TV Thomas, K R Gowri, V R Krishna Iyer (Justice), Dr AR Menon and C Achutha Menon himself were ministers in the Cabinet.

The Communist government started to implement promises made in its manifesto, one by one, from day one of its tenure. The three revolutionary reforms of that government were in the matters of land ownership of farmers and tenants, education and public health. Radical reforms were included in the Education Bill presented by Prof Joseph Mundaserry, which provoked those who were engaged in unfair practices in education sector, which was controlled by feudal and communal groups. This situation brought all regressive forces in the state together against the government under the banner of a movement infamously known as Liberation Movement (Vimochana Samaram).Yielding to those feudal and communal pressure groups, the Government of India dismissed the state government, invoking Article 356 in 1959.Considering the fact that the government enjoyed clear majority in the state assembly, the dismissal of it still remains a black mark in the history of the republic.

However, all succeeding governments in the state had to adhere to the revolutionary agenda set by the first communist government of Kerala. This led to the realization of policies based on equality, fraternity and social justice through legislative measures and ideological commitments adopted over a period of six decades. The present LDF Government in Kerala led by Pinarayi Vijayan is an extension of what CPI had offered to people in 1957.Whatever success Kerala has achieved, has its deep roots in the ideologies of Marxism and Leninism.

On introspection of the four years of LDF Government in power from 2016 to this day, CPI, CPI(M) and the democratic allies of the coalition feel proud with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction on fulfilling the promises it had placed before the electorate during general elections of 2016.This government has addressed each and every concern of its citizens and on many fronts, it has done far more than what it had promised. Kerala has a population of around 3.36 crores. Before the famous land reforms of the first communist government of Kerala, only a few thousand families enjoyed absolute ownership of land in this state. Following completion of land reforms legislation in 1969, the government headed by C Achutha Menon put an end to landlordism in Kerala on 1st January, 1970.His tenure as the Chief Minister witnessed efficient and aggressive implementation of Land Reforms Act. As a result, now more than 85 lakhs families in Kerala are proud owners of the land they live and farm.

From May 2016 to May 2020 the revenue department of LDF Government has issued Pattayam (ownership of land) to 1,43,000 farmers of the state and 35,000 more will get ownership this year and the process is underway. Rigorous legislative and enforcement measures have been taken by the government to conserve paddy fields and wet lands. Conservation Act for wet lands was strengthened and rationalised. Encroachments on government land was dealt with strictly and encroachers were brought to book. Punitive action was taken against officers, who erred in checking on unlawful activities on public land. Conservation of forests and protection of wild life have reached international standards under the efficient forest department.

Increased forest area and enhanced biodiversity are clear indices of its efficiency. At the same time rights of forest dwellers and tribes living in forests were scrupulously protected. Development of Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Backward Classes has been LDF government’s top priority. On the other hand, laws were made to provide reservation for economically weaker sections among forward castes, in government and public sector jobs. All services, certificates and benefits offered by the government have now been made available online.

There were about four lakhs landless/homeless families in the state when the LDF government came to power. In four years’ time about three lakhs families now have their dream of owning a home realised through LIFE mission, one of the flagship missions of the government. The other three are Haritha Keralam (Green Kerala), Aardram (Health) and Save Public Education Campaign.

The government-owned and government-aided public schools were being declared uneconomical and closed down by the previous UDF government led by Indian National Congress. One of the first decisions of LDF government was to take over such a school in the district of Kozhikode, which was being sold out to real estate dealers by its managing trust, leaving its students and poor parents helpless. LDF knew that closure of public schools will ultimately lead to denial of education to children of working people. This concern led to declaration of Save Public Education Campaign by the government. Under this programme, public educational institutions in Kerala have attained world class facilities. Earlier, lakhs of students were quitting government schools to join private schools every year. But now, about five lakhs of students are getting admitted to government schools in the beginning of every academic year and the figures are on the rise.

A huge backlog of tasks related to implementation of the National Food Security Act was at hands when LDF came into power in 2016. In a very short period, the Herculean task of incorporating 87 lakhs of ration cardholders in the revamped public distribution system was accomplished effectively and accurately. During the Covid lock down every household in the state was supplied with 17 essential food items free of cost by the Civil Supplies Department, which was realistically sufficient for a family to survive through the lockdown period.

Prior to pandemic Covid 19, Kerala had become a top destination for tourists from all over the world and from other parts of the country. God’s own country has adopted a sustainable model of responsible tourism which did not harm either the environment or enthusiasm of the tourists. However, the pandemic situation has pushed our tourism sector into crisis. The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), a revolutionary initiative of the state government aimed at creating world-class infrastructure for comprehensive economic and industrial development of Kerala is carrying out projects worth Rs 40,000 crores. These projects cover all major sectors of development right from education to IT-enabled industries.

In every walk of life, the LDF government has remained a guardian, an aspiration, and a hope for future for the people of Kerala. All the while enemies of working class and communist parties were engaged in mud-slinging at the government and its widely acclaimed deeds. But people of Kerala stood by the government and its policies in this journey to welfare. Malicious criticism cannot defeat the LDF government’s programmes, because they are built upon the rock-solid foundation of socialist ideology. The success story of LDF government in Kerala is not a one=time wonder. It is a continuance of the ideals of equality, fraternity and social justice, evolved from the spirit of India’s nationhood, enshrined in the Constitution of India and practised by various governments of Kerala led by communist parties. (IPA Service)