1957 April 5

1957- A REVIEW


April 5 1957, the day goes into history as the beginning of a new era for the millions of people vying for a democratic revolution, for liberating themselves from the clutches of the feudal society, and the most difficult of all for their intensification of class struggle to acquire the much necessitated social transaction. When EMS Namboodiripad took the oath of office as chief minister on April 5, 1957 it set in motion a government progressive and ideologically proficient, a government that had the vision to steer kerala through all the impedances petrifying the working class, a government that had the most pragmatic approach to the despair and desolation of a society reeling in astute financial impoverishment. Although the government had lasted only for a period of 28 months, it was a gleamed ray of hope from the horizon that heralded an innovative beginning for the southernmost state of India.
A schema of a socially just and democratic society, welfare measures for the working class, enhancement of minimum wages, democratisation of the educational society, obliteration of the feudal system, amiability in police policy had been the prime matter of apprehensions for the EMS ministry bestowed to implement communism in a society crippled by disparities in all the spheres of life. EMS had put it in this way “We are not here to implement communism which is practically not possible within the boundaries and frame work of our Indian Constitution. But we are here to accomplish the promises offered by the Congress before independence and we bequeath that responsibility within our ideological stance”.
Kerala during that time remained a farming community with rigid class distinctions. The deep-rooted caste hierarchy yielded many inhuman practices. Untouchability was one of them. Even the shadow of the avarna (low caste) was believed to contaminate the environs. Social reformists such as Sree Narayana Guru and V. T. Bhattatiripad strove to eradicate such practices in the early part of the 20th century. The Janmi, or feudal system became synonymous with exploitation. Caste was a very important factor in the development of the kisan and agricultural labour movement, particularly the agricultural labour movement. It was at the height of this scenario, the EMS ministry was deployed by the people in the most democratic manner. The very first step taken by the ministry thus was an ordinance to stop evictions of tenants which was followed by the agrarian reform bill. Fixation of tenure for tenants, certifying the rights of the tenants, reduction in the rent, reformation of land ownership were some of the highlights of the agrarian reform bill which evoked a callous reception from the landlord-bourgeoisie combination. As EMS quotes “at least in those areas where the kisan organisation was strong, ever since 1957, the peasants were gradually developing into owners. This was our biggest achievement”. Thus a beginning was made.
There was the presence of two disparate sections in the society to facilitate the educational system, one with the most affirmative business intention while the other with a social motive, the former being more powerful and authoritative than the latter. Even years before the EMS ministry came into power, the business faction used to attain grants and providential sums from the government to run their educational institutions. The teachers were neglected and their living conditions were underprivileged as the wealth got accumulated in the hands of these private entrepreneurs. This was a matter of pride for the EMS ministry and their dedication to improve the plights of the teachers was reflected in the education bill. Regulation of appointments and conditions of teachers, salaries to be transferred through the treasury were some of the emphasised attributions of that majestic edict implemented by the EMS ministry. But certain malevolent elements joined by caste and communal organisations that had a vested interest in education declared war on the government much to the anticipation of the majority that stood for progress and development.
The pro-people policy formulated by the EMS ministry had a very significant achievement that made it a role model for the various other states. That was the democratisation of the police policy in the state. During those times, the very name of police had created dreaded fright in the people. Brutality and maliciousness were the synonymies to police and they were used a mere tool to quell the communist movement that was gaining grounds in the region. The EMS ministry declared that the police would not be used as an instrument of oppression of the working people who wage legitimate struggles for their rights and thus renouncing their traditional role of coming to the aid of the capitalists and landlords to suppress the struggles of the working people. EMS had put it in this manner “It is not the job of police to suppress trade union, peasant and other mass activities. It is the job of the police to track down who commit ordinary crimes”. Thus for the first time, there was a clear definition to the chore associated with the police force.
EMS ministry was also substantial in generating industrial employment via the private sector as the possibility of industrialisation through public sector was not very bright in Kerala during that time. The Birla Factory in Mavoor , the Premier tyres factory in Kalammassery were example to begin a stride on a vision of industrial development. In agriculture, a small beginning was made while fostering of green manure through which productivity in agriculture can be increased without the use of or very little use of chemical fertilizers. This gave a considerable enhancement for both sectors thus setting a pace for an industrial and agricultural revival. The Minimum Wages Act for the workers in industries and for agricultural workers was music to the deaf ears for the working class, the act ensuring a substantial increase in their wages. One of the most significant achievements was the strengthening of the public distribution system. There was a food deficit prevailing in the state during that period. The concept of decentralisation was thoroughly sermonised and food committees were set up in villages comprising of the people of that particular region and thereby a systematic involvement of the public in matters concerning their basic amenities. This was the preliminary step for the decentralisation reforms and a basis of study for the advocates of decentralisation around the world.
Caste and communal elements had joined hands with the opposition to unshackle the evolution of a socially, agriculturally and industrially metamorphosed transmutation of a state thereby tarnishing the tranquillity and the secular credentials of its people. This resulted in the much hyped liberation struggle. They were combined of the ferocious face of the class struggle against workers, peasants and the working people who supported the government. As a result of the terror unleashed by these self proclaimed liberationists, the government was toppled and president’s rule was established. The dismissal was a lucid indication that a democratic transformation and a succession of parliamentary victories are not tantamount to each other. The more noteworthy lesson of that dismissal was that the threat to the parliamentary system and democracy does not originate from the working class but from the exploiting classes.
Thus 1957 to 1959 can be acknowledged as the age of reformation or the golden era of social transformation. The policies and the strategies put into practice by the EMS ministry of 1957 endeavoured with diligent planning are indeed phenomenal to the growth of a state and predominant in carving its developmental policies. As BT randive wrote in 1959” The Kerala ministry was a voyage on uncharted seas. This was, perhaps, the first time in the history of the world that the Communist Party had agreed to form a ministry under capitalism – with a bourgeois-landlord government controlling the centre and with effective economic power in the hands of a handful few. How was it possible?”. Yes the kerala masses had that desire and the propulsion for a change. Let that aspiration be always alive.



Shereen Vijayan Kottikkal