Even as Parliament witnessed sharp exchanges over former Army Chief Gen. (Retd.) M.M. Naravane’s forthcoming book, a separate controversy unfolded in Kerala with the release of a book by expelled CPI(M) leader V. Kunhikrishnan, triggering political debate and legal intervention.
The book, titled Nethrutvathe Anikal Thiruthanam—which translates to Ordinary Workers Should Reform the Leadership—was released at a public event in the State. The book was unveiled by Joseph C. Mathew, IT adviser to former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who presented a copy to V.S. Anil Kumar, son of noted Left intellectual M.N. Vijayan. Despite opposition from the CPI(M), the event drew a large audience, with several attendees congratulating Kunhikrishnan.
The release took place under police protection following directions from the Kerala High Court. On January 30, a single bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas ordered the Kannur District Police Chief and the Payyanur Station House Officer to ensure full security for Kunhikrishnan ahead of the event. The expelled leader had been removed from the party on January 26 by the CPI(M)’s Kannur district committee for making serious allegations against Payyanur MLA T.I. Madhusudhanan and other party leaders.
Addressing the gathering amid slogans of “Inquilab Zindabad”, Kunhikrishnan alleged that attempts were made through social media to disrupt the book launch. He claimed he had been subjected to personal abuse and had received obscene messages on WhatsApp, which he described as part of a campaign to intimidate and defame him.
Speaking after the release, Joseph C. Mathew said Kunhikrishnan was echoing concerns earlier raised by V.S. Achuthanandan, who, he noted, had also faced expulsion for standing by the truth. He questioned when communism and truth had come to be seen as contradictory.
The 96-page book, comprising 16 chapters, alleges corruption within local CPI(M) leadership, misuse of party funds and the emergence of crony capitalism within the organisation. Kunhikrishnan argues that the party has become overly election-centric and that the principle of democratic centralisation is being misused to shield those involved in financial irregularities. He contends that meaningful reform can only come if ordinary party workers hold the leadership accountable.
The book also refers to the alleged misuse of ₹4.6 million linked to Payyanur MLA T.I. Madhusudhanan. Kunhikrishnan claims that funds collected for the family of C.V. Dhanarajan, a Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) worker killed in 2016 and later accorded martyr status, were misappropriated. The issue triggered an uproar in the Kerala Assembly last month, with Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleging large-scale fraud and claiming that CPI(M) workers had attacked protesters. He also said the party leader who exposed the alleged irregularities was facing threats.
Meanwhile, in New Delhi, controversy continued over excerpts from a forthcoming book by former Army Chief M.M. Naravane. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi cited portions of the book to allege that Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed in his responsibilities during the standoff with China along the border. The issue led to repeated adjournments of Parliament, adding to the broader political churn surrounding politically sensitive publications.
