kozhikode l tuesday l july 22, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l city EDITION BOMBAY High COURT acquits all accused in 7/11 blasts The HC acquitted 12 accused in 2006 train blast case as it set aside MCOCA court’s order awarding death sentence to 5 and life term to 7 accused ‘evidence not properly collected’ ATS to challenge order in apex court In the order, a bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Shyam Chandak cited several reasons for overturning the 2015 verdict. The bench noted that the evidence was not properly collected and presented. The first arrest was made on July 20, 2006 followed by continuous arrests. However, the test identification parade was not done for four months. ■ ■ On July 11, 2006, seven bombs ripped through Mumbai’s local trains killing 189 persons and maiming 820 innocent travellers. Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), which investigated the blast case, said the agency would challenge the Bombay High Court’s order in the Supreme Court. 189 people were killed in BLASTS in MUMBAI’s local trains CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI COMRADE OF THE CENTURY A tireless anti-corruption crusader, VS was the last of the old-school Marxists Founder-member of CPM, he took up people’s issues & took on party at times V S Achuthanandan 1923 — 2025 leader of the masses LIFE & TIMES OF COMMUNIST ICON THE FINAL JOURNEY October 20, 1923: Born in Paravur to Venthalathara Sankaran and Akkamma The mortal remains of V S Achuthanandan will be taken from his residence to the Durbar Hall at the Secretariat at 9am on Tuesday for the public to pay homage. March 1940: Joined the Communist Party at the age of 17 1946: Took part in PunnapraVayalar protest preparations; arrested by police while underground 1959: Became a member of the Communist Party National Council 1964: Walked out of the National Council, co-founded the CPM. 1980–1991: Elected as CPM State Secretary for three terms 1986: Inducted into the CPM Politburo 1992: Became Leader of the Opposition 2006– 2011: Served as Chief Minister of Kerala In the afternoon, the body will be taken to his home, Velikkakathu, at Punnapra in Alappuzha, where the public will have the opportunity to pay their respects. On Wednesday, the body will be kept at the CPM District Committee office in the morning The funeral will take place in the afternoon at the Valiya Chudukadu crematorium in Alappuzha. During his long public life, V S Achuthanandan worked for the welfare of people, especially the marginalised, and contributed to the development of Kerala. I extend my deep condolences to his family and followers Droupadi Murmu, President Saddened by the passing of former Kerala CM Shri VS Achuthanandan Ji. He devoted many years of his life to public service and Kerala’s progress. I recall our interactions when we both served as Chief Ministers of our respective states. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sad hour Narendra Modi, Prime Minsiter THREE-DAY MOURNING IN STATE In honour of the late leader, the state government has declared closure of all government offices, educational institutions (including professional colleges), state public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, autonomous institutions and all entities under the Negotiable Instruments Act on Tuesday. The state will observe three days of mourning starting July 22. During this period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast across all government buildings in the state. A towering figure in Indian politics and a stalwart of the Communist movement... V S Achuthanandan’s demise marks the end of an era in India’s Leftist political history.His contributions to public life and the left movement will always be remembered with deep respect Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor A N I L S @ T’Puram End of 1990s. The E K Nayanar-led Left government was in power in Kerala. It was around the time Pinarayi Vijayan was set for his first tenure as CPM state secretary . A section of leaders were eyeing a new political combine - to get the Indian Union Muslim League into the LDF fold, with an eye on cementing a long-term rule for the Left front in the state. Informal talks were held at varying levels between senior leaders. Several possibilities were discussed. But one question kept bothering them - who would tell VS? The veteran was LDF convener then, and the most powerful leader who virtually called the shots both within the party and the front. IUML leader Kutty Ahammed Kutty who shared a warm rapport with VS was handed the task. Kutty conveyed the idea to VS but not before prefacing it with a request that VS should not be in a hurry to nip the proposal in the bud. VS heard him through, and without batting an eyelid, pronounced his judgement that is now part of state political lore: “Kutty, it is not yet time for the Congress to die in Kerala!” A deeply insightful statement especially relevant in the current political scenario. Ignoring short-term political gains, the far-sighted Marxist batted for a line that till date underscores how both the Left and the Congress remain relevant in their fight against the saffron front in Kerala’s political landscape. To VS, it was simple logic. A UDF minus the IUML would naturally weaken the Congress. And in no time, Hindutva forces would rush in to oc- cupy the vacant political space. Though a leader without much formal education, VS always stood out from his peers for his innate political acumen. Ve l i k k a k a t h S a n k a r a n Achuthanandan, who passed away on Monday, remains an unparallelled Communist, the biggest crowd puller in recent times, last of the old-school Marxists and one of the greatest mass leaders Kerala has ever seen. The 101-year-old, who was incapacitated following a stroke in 2019, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the capital following a cardiac arrest on June 23. A founding leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), VS began his political career as a trade unionist and was later seen at the forefront of land struggles. The Communist movement in Kerala, since its inception in 1939, evolved with VS, who left an indelible imprint on its political evolution as well as its sociocultural fabric. He was one among the the 32 leaders who walked out of the historic CPI national council meet in 1964 to for m the CPI(M). In many ways, the influence wielded by VS in the CPM has its roots in the quirkiness of modern-day factionalism in the party Despite challenging . the official stance many times and keeping the party on tenterhooks, be it his decision to visit the family of slain RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan on a polling day taking up the , SNC-Lavalin case against Pinarayi or walking out of the 2015 Alappuzha state conference after being termed as a ‘comrade with an anti-party mindset’, he always remained a favourite of many party loy● More on P7 alists.  CPM leaders, including general secretary M A Baby and state secretary M V Govindan, give final salute to V S Achuthanandan, at AKG Centre | B P Deepu Even as the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament witnessed ruckus and adjournments, the government agreed to hold a 16-hour discussion on the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha next week. The decision was taken at the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee. Though the Opposition initially objected to the timing of the debate, the Congress said that it will abide by the proposal of the government. While the government’s floor managers pointed out that the 3-day debate, not under specific rule The special discussion on Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor and Pahalgam terror attack will be spread over three days and will not be under any specific rule, said a source who attended the BAC meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be abroad from June 23-26, the Opposition insisted that the discussion should start immediately followed by the PM’s reply . Later in the evening, at a meeting of floor leaders, the Congress decided that it will wait until Modi’s return for the discussions on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor to take place. “We will ask the government to hold the discussions as soon as the PM returns from the trip,” said a leader who attended the meeting. The leader told this paper that the party will hold a meeting with the floor leaders of INDIA bloc leaders on Tuesday and will take a final call. At the BAC meeting, Opposition members protested that the government’s agenda for the week did not mention their demand on Operation Sindoor. Some Opposition members also called for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and the situation in Manipur. Earlier, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by the Opposition, which demanded a discussion on Operation Sindoor and other issues. The LS saw four adjournments. Defence minister Rajnath Singh assured the opposition MPs that the government is ready to have a long discussion on all issues the Speaker agrees to. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed to the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister insiDe Achuthanandan’s Munnar Mission One of the most defining chapters of V S Achuthanandan’s tenure as CM was the bold Munnar Mission a drive to reclaim illegally occupied land in the ecologically vulnerable Munnar region. At 83, VS led a crackdown on encroachments ordering demolitions and taking on land mafias and resort lobbies. The Mission that lasted for 29 days took down 92 buildings and reclaimed 16,000 acres of govt land. P4 16-hour discussion in LS on Op Sindoor next week P reetha N a i r @ New Delhi Comrade VS was a symbol of a glorious legacy of protest struggles, extraordinary determination, and an uncompromising commitment to principles. His century-spanning life, spent standing firmly with the people and taking up their causes, is inseparably woven into the modern history of Kerala to place their demand during the BAC meeting. “The government is ready to reply to all the issues that the Speaker agrees to at the BAC meeting. But to raise slogans and not let the House function on the first day of the Monsoon session is unacceptable,” Rijiju said in the House. The Rajya Sabha, too, saw continuous disruptions despite Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s request to the Opposition to allow the House to function. “The government is ready for a discussion. I will meet the leaders and settle for a discussion. And I will ensure full-fledged discussion for as much time as you want,” said Dhankhar. Defeat that shaped a mass leader In the political history of Kerala, the defeat of V S Achuthanandan in the 1996 assembly election is written in black letters. Once considered a CM candidate of the CPM, VS’ unexpected loss in the Mararikulam constituency became a turning point, not just in his career, but also in his personal life. VS was defeated by Congress candidate P J Francis, a result that sent shockwaves through Kerala’s political circles. P5 1st communist CM to trek Sabarimala Any recollection of VS would be incomplete without a mention of his trek to Sabarimala in 2007, an iconic episode that perfectly captured his simplicity and his ideological stand that defined him. On December 30, 2007, 85-year-old VS, the then CM, undertook the arduous 5-km climb from Pampa to Sannidhanam, becoming the first communist CM to reach the Sabarimala shrine on foot. P6 Shocker from Dhankhar, as he quits as Vice-Prez his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu. The timing In an unexpected development of the resignation — on the that sparked intense specula- first day of the Monsoon Sestion, Vice President Jagdeep sion of Parliament — led to Dhankhar put in his paspeculation on his sucpers on Monday cessor if the resignaevening, citing medical tion is accepted. advice. Dhankhar, 74, had asRight through the sumed office in August day, there was no hint 2022. Sources revealed of any such developthat Dhankhar had ment, as Dhankhar conhinted at his decision to Jagdeep tinued to perform his resign during the latter Dhankhar parliamentary duties half of the day, reportas Chairman of the Raedly surprising Prime jya Sabha. Minister Narendra Modi. Citing health concerns and Till the time of filing this rethe necessity to adhere to med- porting, the President had not ical advice, he later submitted accepted his resignation. RAJESH KU MAR THAKU R @ New Delhi