Close on the heels of writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair criticising ‘ritualistic worship’ of political leaders at the Kerala Literature Festival, fellow writer M. Mukundan too denounced at the same venue ‘political leaders who have climbed the high pedestal of power’.
“We live in the age of crowned leaders who enjoy being in power. Shedding human blood is of no significance to them,” Mr. Mukundan said in a session celebrating 50 years of his noted novel Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil with CPI(M) leader M. Swaraj on Sunday. He called upon leaders to abdicate their thrones and make way for deserving people. He reminded the public that election was the only tool to bring about a change and called upon them to remember the blood spilt over politics while casting their votes.
MT’s comments
MT had spoken out against totalitarianism, personality cults and power politics at the inaugural ceremony of Kerala Literature Festival in Kozhikode on Thursday in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He had recalled the positions taken against the ‘worship of politicians’ by the late Marxist ideologue and the first Chief Minister of Kerala E.M.S. Namboodiripad. Following this, several personalities from various sections of society had come up with supporting arguments.
This is not the first time that Mr. Mukundan has come up with allegations against those in power. At the convocation ceremony of the Institute of Communication and Journalism of Calicut Press Club in mid-December 2023, he said that the leftist ideology was becoming weaker day by day as it is following capitalistic and consumerist tendencies. “There aren’t many differences between the left wing and right wing politics these days, as the border that separates them is blurred,” he had said, despite being a Left supporter himself.
