On November 19, the second day of his government’s ambitious 'Nava Kerala Sadas' programme, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had declared it a “grand success”. That outrageous statement was based on the response he got on the inaugural day from Kasaragod district, the most neglected district of the southern state.
Today, after thirty-six days, the "public outreach" programme concluded with the entire cabinet having visited all 140 constituencies. However, whether it truly achieved the status of a "grand success"—as asserted by Vijayan in the early stages of the program—remains a question that requires thorough analysis in the days and months ahead.
The purpose and the paradigm
An essential aspect of assessing the success of a political program involves examining it based on its primary objectives. What was the intended purpose of the Nava Kerala Sadas? On the inaugural day, November 18, the Chief Minister's office itself, through a press release, announced that the event was organized by the "state government" to "present the future development prospects as well as achievements of 'New Kerala' to the public and interact with the people." The release also mentioned a system for collecting grievances from the public at each venue of Nava Kerala Sadas. Three hours before the public event, officials would begin collecting grievances from the public, with a designed system for the swift resolution of these issues.
Interestingly, before the commencement of the Sadas, the narrative intentionally or unintentionally broadcasted to the public was that the event was primarily for collecting grievances from the public. So, there was an expectation among the public that, similar to the much-praised 'mass contact program' 'Jana Sambarka Paripadi' led by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Pinarayi cabinet ministers would personally collect grievances from the people. However, on the very first day, it became evident that Nava Kerala Sadas is not another “mass contact” programme in terms of acceptance of grievances.
The Chief Minister informed the media that the public only needed to submit their grievances to officials, who would then resolve them in a time-bound manner. The Chief Minister's discussions were restricted to "paura pramukhar (important personalities)" from the constituencies, who reportedly gave the “pulse” of each place and personally submitted the requirements of their areas.
From the experience of this reporter on visiting the Nava Kerala Sadas venues, a large section of those who submitted the grievances at the counters near public event venues of Nava Kerala Sadas, had requests and petitions for financial assistance. Many who had re-submitted their petitions at Nava Kerala Sadas in the hope of getting a solution at least this time.
When checked with an official from Thrissur about the significance of this process, given the existence of a grievance redressal system based on collectorates in the state, the official responded, "Here, all the petitions will be considered with VIP status!" However, it became evident that not all petitions can be treated equally or as VIP cases.
By the time Nava Kerala Sadas reached its halfway point, the government machinery had received more than 3 lakh petitions. It became clear at that point itself that the government machinery would struggle to address issues on such a large number of petitions within a short span of time.
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Interestingly, even leaders within the LDF made the mistake of portraying Nava Kerala Sadas primarily as a platform for addressing grievances. This led Pinarayi Vijayan to emphatically emphasize—and even openly mock one of the LDF MPs—on multiple occasions that the Sadas was not intended for that purpose. Despite this clarification, cabinet ministers, especially Health Minister Veena George, shared numerous 'Nava Kerala impact' stories on social media, highlighting the government's swift actions in people's lives. While it could be acknowledged that cabinet ministers directly addressed specific human-interest cases, treating them as "VIP" cases during this event added to the confusion regarding the overall "purpose" of the programme.
Even the stated goal of "presenting the future development prospects as well as achievements of 'New Kerala'" took a backseat at the Nava Kerala Sadas venues. From Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, at every stage, ministers and the chief minister launched scathing attacks on the Union government for its perceived "neglect" of Kerala and the financial distress faced by the state. This pattern and the identical content were repeated at every single venue.
During the Nava Kerala Sadas in Kuravilangad, Kottayam, the Chief Minister openly acknowledged for the first time that the state was heading towards an acute financial crisis. He stated, "Because of the retaliatory, unconstitutional, and illegal actions of the Union government, the state is facing significant trouble. If this continues, it will be disastrous."
Ironically, one of the main criticisms faced by the Pinarayi Vijayan government during the Nava Kerala Sadas was the perceived 'luxury' and excessive spending on an event that required substantial additional efforts in terms of manpower and resources to explain the government's current position during such a financially troubled phase. The Nava Kerala Bus, which reportedly cost Rs1.05 crore, became the focal point of discussions about the "luxury" associated with the Nava Kerala Sadas.
Controversies and conversations
Undoubtedly, the Nava Kerala Sadas was organized with the aim of generating goodwill for the Pinarayi government. However, it concludes in an atmosphere that prompts reflection on whether the Sadas did more harm than good to the government and the Chief Minister's image.
In all the venues, there was a noticeable abundance of "public participation." Nevertheless, there have been multiple controversies and complaints about the "forced participation" of MNREGA workers and even school students. Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet ministers criticized the Congress-led opposition for boycotting the Nava Kerala Sadas. However, the opposition's stance may be justified, considering that the Chief Minister and his cabinet expended more time and energy on attacking their political opponents than on elucidating or contemplating a future vision for Kerala during the Nava Kerala Sadas.
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The manner in which the chief minister and the government apparatus chose to handle the opposition parties' black flag protestors garnered widespread criticism and sparked controversy. From the third day of Nava Kerala Sadas onward, protests involving black flags were organized against Pinarayi and his cabinet by the opposition.
The initial demonstration occurred as the Nava Kerala Bus and the cabinet were returning after Nava Kerala Sadas at Madayippara Palayam ground in Kannur. The video footage of DYFI activists using plant pots and sticks to attack Youth Congress members who participated in the black flag protests stirred strong public resentment.
But the controversy did not end there: Pinarayi Vijayan decided to defend the actions of his DYFI comrades. “We saw what happened. A man was jumping in front of the bus. Some youth had pulled out this man to the side. It was to save that man’s life!” His decision not to condemn the DYFI activists act, instead label their manhandling as a ‘life-saving act’, undoubtedly triggered a slew of similar ‘life-savings’ in the entire stretch of the Sadas.
During the Kochi segment of Nava Kerala Sadas, two Democratic Students Association (DSA) activists, Mohammed Haneen and Rijas, who took part in a protest and were assaulted by DYFI workers, found themselves facing charges filed by the Kerala Police. Allegedly, the police stood as passive observers during the assault on the duo. Interestingly, at the same venue on Kochi's Marine Drive, Rayees, a CPI(M) branch committee member from Thammanam, also experienced an assault by party cadres, along with other protestors who were beaten by the DYFI.
In Alappuzha, when the black flag incidents occurred, CM's gunman Anil Kumar stepped out of the escort vehicle and struck protesting Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists. He also seized a newspaper photographer in Idukki by the scruff of his neck. Anil Kumar apparently violated multiple rules with these actions, including the one stating that policemen should not resort to baton charges unless they are in uniform. However, the CM not only chose to shield this 1993 batch policeman, who became his gunman in 2001, but also defended the officer's actions, stating that he acted based on the brief to ensure the chief minister's safety during public events.
The CM also made an absurd statement, claiming he never witnessed his gunman assaulting anyone during Nava Kerala Sadas events, despite ample video recordings documenting the violence and violations. "Once, I noticed Anil pushing a photographer back as he was blocking my way. A gunman is obliged to ensure the CM's security," explained the CM regarding the Idukki incident.
However, the Chief Judicial Court in Alappuzha, while hearing a petition filed by Youth Congress workers, ordered the police to file a First Information Report against the Chief Minister's security detail, including gunman Anil and security personnel Sandeep.
The Congress initiated a series of statewide protests targeting the ruling front and the violent incidents that unfolded during the Nava Kerala Sadas program. On December 20, the Youth Congress march towards the Kerala Secretariat turned chaotic, resulting in violence, with the attire of a female leader torn during a confrontation with the police. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President K. Sudhakaran, alongside several other Congress leaders, ended up in the hospital after the State police used tear gas shells and water cannons against Congress protesters marching to the police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on December 23.
The Congress demonstration, intended to condemn police excesses against its workers during the Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programne, spiralled into chaos shortly after Sudhakaran concluded his speech. The KPCC president criticized the police action as arbitrary and unjustifiable, asserting that tear gas shells were fired at party leaders leading the march without any provocation.
A significant portion of the media community also openly criticized the government when a female journalist, who reported on the black flag protest and shoe-throwing by KSU activists against the Nava Kerala Sadas bus, was accused as a co-conspirator in the shoe-throwing incident. The Chief Minister once again defended the police, stating that he would not reconsider the conspiracy charge against the journalist.
"I have full confidence in what the police have done. There are individuals among you capable of conspiring," the CM told media persons during a press conference this morning. Interestingly, even on the final day of Nava Kerala Sadas, the discussions are more focused on the controversies sparked by the event rather than addressing some of the serious issues it raised, including the state's financial distress.
Idolisation and ideological decay
There was no shortage of praise for the chief minister on Nava Kerala Sadas stages, showcasing Pinarayi's cult of personality in full swing at the event venues. When the controversy regarding the "luxury Benz bus" emerged in the initial stage of the Sadas, CPI(M) central committee member A.K. Balan commented that the bus would gain historical significance because the CM and his ministers were travelling in it.
He suggested that if kept in a museum, countless people would buy tickets just to have a passing look at the grand bus with its 'historical' significance. Although the CM publicly criticized senior leader and former health minister K.K. Shailaja for an extended welcome address during the Nava Kerala Sadas in her constituency Mattannur, no one from the CPI(M) openly dared to side with Shailaja.
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Since that incident, ministers and LDF MLAs have become extra cautious not to upset the CM with their long speeches. During the Nava Kerala Sadas in Vypin, Kochi, the chief minister arrived while State Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh's speech against the Union government was in progress. Upon the CM's entrance on stage, Rajesh paused his speech, anticipating a signal. Once he received the 'go-ahead,' he resumed his address, prefacing it with a remark: "The honorable chief minister has granted me permission to continue my speech...so I am proceeding. If I don't mention this, you [the audience] might think about the appropriateness of continuing my speech with the CM present."
In Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, a quirkier incident unfolded when the state Cooperation and Registration minister V.N. Vasavan referred to the Communist chief minister as a "gift of God" to Kerala. He expressed, "It is Pinarayi who protected Kerala during the floods and Covid. Opposition leaders can’t do anything against him. People in Kerala will line up to protect Pinarayi," during his speech. However, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan declined to endorse Vasavan’s proclamation, stating, “The communist party does not worship individuals,” when questioned about Vasavan’s statement. Nevertheless, it remains evident that a personality cult exists within the CPI(M), and this is readily apparent to the outside world!
