Thousands mourn as VS’s final journey crawls toward Alappuzha
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Thiruvananthapuram: An overwhelming wave of grief swept across Kerala as thousands of mourners lined the roads to bid farewell to Communist stalwart V.S. Achuthanandan, whose final journey from the state capital to his hometown Alappuzha turned into a 21-hour emotional procession.
The flower-decorated, state-owned passenger bus carrying the coffin of the 101-year-old leader departed from Thiruvananthapuram after 2 p.m. on Tuesday. A journey that typically takes four hours has stretched far beyond due to the sea of people waiting to pay their last respects.
By 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the hearse had covered 145 kilometres and was still seven kilometres away from Achuthanandan’s home in Alappuzha, where thousands continued to wait patiently despite fatigue, pouring rain, and the darkness of night. Many broke down in tears, chanting slogans in praise of "VS," as he was fondly known.
CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan, who has been accompanying the procession, told reporters on Wednesday morning that the sheer volume of mourners had overwhelmed all logistical plans.
“Lakhs of people have already paid homage to VS, and it's become extremely difficult to control the crowd. Since the schedule has completely gone off track, we may have to shorten the public viewing to ensure the cremation takes place by late evening,” he said.
At Achuthanandan’s modest home in Alappuzha—purchased 58 years ago—locals formed a line stretching two kilometres, waiting quietly for their chance to pay respects.
The hearse will stop at three key locations in Alappuzha before the cremation. These include his home, the district CPI(M) office where he became secretary at the age of 31, and a specially erected pandal by the seashore capable of seating 3,000 people for the final public viewing.
The cremation is scheduled to take place after 5 p.m. at Veliyachudukadu, his final resting place.
Though V.S. Achuthanandan formally retired from public life in January 2020, the massive outpouring of emotion reflects the deep admiration and affection the people of Kerala continue to hold for him. Tuesday was declared a statewide holiday in his honour, and Wednesday was announced as a public holiday in Alappuzha district.
Top national leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have also gathered to pay their last respects. CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby, who served as the Education Minister in VS’s cabinet, along with former General Secretary Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, and several other prominent figures, have all been present during the procession.
VS Achuthanandan passed away at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday at 3.20 p.m., leaving behind a legacy etched into the political and social history of Kerala.
With IANS inputs
