Vimochana samaram

"Vimochana Samaram" (The Liberation Struggle) in Kerala history is the political agitation that started in 1958 against first communist government in Kerala under the chiefministership of E.M.S. Namboodiripad. It was organized by the Catholic Church along with the Nair Service Society (under the leadership of Mannathu Padmanabhan). The immediate cause of the outbreak of the "Vimochana Samaram" was the introduction of Education Bill by the then education minister Joseph Mundassery.The bill had revolutionary content that could have had an impact on the administration of educational institutions. Many of these institutions at that time were under the control of Church or NSS.

The Education Bill sought to regulate appointments and conditions of teachers. Salaries of teachers were to be paid through the treasury. There was a provision of takeover of management of educational institutions.

Besides the socio-religious organizations, all the major opposition parties including Indian National Congress, Praja Socialist Party (PSP) , RSP, and Muslim League, KSP rallied together demanding the dismissal of the EMS ministry. Massive rallies and demonstrations against the government took place throughout the state. The Law and Order situation in the state was hit worst by the well-planned agitations. In places like Angamaly, Pulluvila, Vettukadu and Cheriyathura, police resorted to firing resulting in the death of 15 people. The active participation of the leaders like Mathai Manjooran, R. Sankar, Fr. Joseph Vadakken influenced the movement.

The immediate effect of the "Vimochana Samaram" was the dismissal of the Communist government under E.M.S. on July 31, 1959, and imposition of the President's rule in the state under Article 356 of the constitution. One notable feature of the movement was massive student participation led by the congress student leaders including A.K. Antony, Ommen Chandy, Vayalar Ravi.

Criticism

Communist party of India [Marxist] projects Vimochana Samaram as a conspiracy. Some of the key criticism were that it was an Anti-Democratic, CIA funded communal movement aimed to shatter the first democratically elected communist ministry. It is further accused that the Indian National Congress has joined hands in public with anti democratic splinters and communal forces to have the down fall of a democratically elected government of the people. It is said that Nehru being a Socialist and a friend of E.M.S. refused to dismiss the government. But probably due to the pressure from fellow Congrees Partymen he could not act freely according to his conscience.

The interest of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the struggle is depiccted in the work of Daniel Patrick Moynihan, United States' ambassador to India (1973-75) in his 1978 book - A Dangerous Place - ISBN 0316586994. His statements are corroborated by Howard Schaffer, the biographer of Ellsworth Bunker who was the US ambassador during 1956-61.Fact|date=November 2007 Bunker is quoted confirming the American and his own involvement in funding the agitation against the EMS' communist government, in order to prevent "additional Keralas".Fact|date=November 2007

External links

* CIA Cultural action
* [http://www.indiatogether.org/2007/apr/gov-kerala50.htm A red dawn that set too soon]