Veteran Communist recounts his revolutionary days

Starting his political career at the age of 18, Lawrence's vision and insights are umpteen. His memories date back beyond the formation of Kerala state. His life was not a cakewalk, rather devoid of struggles and turmoil. He was the prime accused in the armed attack of Edappally police station which was part of the call for armed rebellion.

Ernakulam: Veteran communist M M Lawrence is full of awe as Kerala Assembly elections are ahead. He had given a kickstart to the growth of the labour class movement in Ernakulam in his young-spirited days. He is now fully indulged in pointing out the flaws and giving suggestions for the Left party.

Starting his political career at the age of 18, Lawrence's vision and insights are umpteen. His memories date back beyond the formation of Kerala state. His life was not a cakewalk, rather devoid of struggles and turmoil. He was the prime accused in the armed attack of Edappally police station which was part of the call for armed rebellion.

Counting back his memories of the 1950s he sighed and said that there was such a time too. Thiru Kochi Assembly election in 1950 was his debut candidature. At the age of 24, he contested against the Congress party's A L Jacob, a strong opponent. Latin Catholics community was very influential in the constituency. The prime goal was to gain as many votes as possible. He recounted that Churches had openly ordered the devotees not to vote for the Communists.

He also narrated an anecdote of his visit to a booth in Ernakulam Bolgatty Saint Sebastian Church School. He requested an elderly woman whom he called ‘Ammamma' to vote for him. Alarmingly, she instantly responded asking whether she should go to hell by voting for a Communist. It was how people were made to believe in those days against the Communist movement.

Lawrence viewed the election as an opportunity to reach out to the people and make them aware of the party’s principles. Contrasting to political parties campaigning using candidates' pictures, the Communist party abstained from using pictures.

There were no loudspeakers or offset presses to print posters to add colour to the poll campaigns then. Posters could only be prepared by hand, by writing with ink on newsprint papers. Congress was competing under the ‘Two Bulls’ symbol. Then, fake votes were rampant in Ernakulam. Congress party members were ahead in casting fake votes too, he said.

Though he knew that it was not the right way, Lawrence revealed that he had also cast fake votes then. He added that he was forced to cast fake votes. There was also a practice of serving liquor to those who cast their votes. We did not do that, said Lawrence. Victory or defeat in the elections did not affect him, but he had longed to be elected to the Kerala Assembly, Lawrence said.

While seeing the discussions in the present-day Assembly, Lawrence feels that he could have intervened in better manner in the Assembly. Lawrence won in the elections from the Idukki constituency to the Lok Sabha in 1980. He said that he could work in Parliament very well then.