Part- 5 : 19 th century and onwards

The first president was mr. Pattam Thanupillai. Secretary was P.S.Nadaraja Pillai. Mr.C.Kesavan and T.M.Verghese were prominent members.

While the wind of change was blowing even in neighboring Cochin state Sir.C.P.Ramaswami Iyer resorted to both divide and rule strategies and brutality against those leaders who resisted. Mr.A.Narayana Pillai wrote an article at that time in 'Malayala Rajyam' under the title "Nairs and public service". Sir. C.P.'s government arrested him on a drummed up charge. A defense committee was formed and a famous advocate mr.K.F.Nariman was hired to represent mr. Pillai. C.P's goondas appeared at the airport with black flags shouting 'Nariman go back". The public resisted these goondas and a young leader mr.P.T.punnose took away the black flags from C.P.'s goondas. Eventually mr.Nariman was prevented from representing his client on the ground that he himself had served a jail term. Mr.Pillai served a two year jail term. Before leaving Travancore however, Mr.Nariman issued a press release condemning C.P.s' authoritarian rule and urging people to unite and fight for democratic government.

Sir.C.P.became more agitated as he saw the increasing support for the state Congress amongst the public. He resorted to disruptive tactics. Leaders were attacked and beaten in public meetings. Police refused to intervene. Stone-throwing on to the platforms of Congress meeting was another, C.P. encouraged goonda tactic. Government servants related to Congress men were transferred to remote areas. Teachers with connections to Congress men lost their certification. Pattam Thanu Pillai and Madhava Warrior were beaten with metal clubs in open day light. Miss Ani Mascreen's house was raided and all household items stolen. Congress advocates were subjected to robbery. Protesting in the legislative councils was of no avail. C.P.turned a deaf ear to the complaints.

Another strategy of Sir.C.P. was suppression of the press. The 'Kaumudi' newspaper started by Mr.C.V.Kunjuraman and run by Mr.C.Kesavan was closed down and it's license revoked. The offense was publication of a letter demanding democratic reforms. Two other publications that had the same fate were 'Tamilian' and 'Samadarsini'. At the same time all publications that were pro C.P. were given all encouragement.

The leaders were not cowed by C.P.'s tactics. A huge meeting and rally were held in the railway grounds in Trivandrum. Sir.C.P. tried to intimidate the organizers by calling the Travancore army in. Further all subsequent rallies and meetings were banned. P.K.Kunju and P.N.Krishna Pillai were arrested. Workers in Aleppy became enraged. The situation became explosive. One worker lost his life when the police charged with bayonets.

When the bans were lifted Congress leaders started organizing meetings again. A meeting in Neyyattinkara was attacked by goondas and subsequently banned by an express order by the district magistrate. A mammoth rally and meeting in Chenganore was disrupted by C.P.'s goondas. Pattam,C. Kesavan, T.K.Narayana Pillai, G.Chandra sekara pilla and Ponnara Sridhar were attacked publicly with C.P's police looking on. Mr.E.John Philipose was attacked by a rowdy who slapped him with chapels. Finally an open confrontation erupted between the public and C.P.'s police. The frightened police fled.

CP interfered and influenced the outcome of an election in Mavelikkara. The Congress working committee petitioned the Maharajah directly demanding democratic and responsive government. The government banned the publication of the document that came to be known as 'Congress memorandum'. However hundreds of copies were printed and distributed. A Congress youth wing was formed. Ms. Kamala Devi Chadopadya was invited to their Trivandrum meeting. She was banned to speak in Trivandrum and Quilion. She planned to defy and speak in Trivandrum. She was arrested and banished to Thirunalveli. The government initiated steps to punish the Congress youth wing. It's leaders like Ponnara Sridhar ,N.Srikandan Nairand K.Damodaran were arrested.

The state Congress intensified it's agitation. A Mammoth meeting was held in Trivandrum's Shankumukam beech. Leaders were arrested in Trivandrum, Quilion and Kottayam. There was yet another meeting which was disrupted by the police. People were beaten. The enraged masses set fire to the police superintendents car. One of the worst police suppression followed. C.P threw an investigation report about police atrocities in to the waste basket.

Students every where were joining the agitation. C.M.Stephen and Prakkulam Bhasi gave leadership in Trivandrum. The students were brutally beaten near the university college grounds by police and Travancore army. The Maharajah himself faced demonstrations when going to the temple. All colleges and educational institutions were closed indefinitely.

C.P resorted to divide and rule tactics at this point. He turned against the Christians. He persuaded Hindus to make massive withdrawals from the national Quilion bank. The bank requested a day's time from it's customers. C.P mean time claimed that the bank was broke and sealed it's offices. It was rather ironic that this was done on the same day when the bank's branch was to open in Dawning street, London. The directors of the bank like C.P.Mathen, K.C.Mamman Mapplai and K.C.Eapen were thrown in to jail. C.P.'s aim was to weaken the Congress party by destroying an influential and powerful bank and it's directors.

In Changanacherri on the pretext that there was a spreading disease affecting banana plantations tens of thousands of banana trees were cut down. All these repressive measures only fuelled the agitation

.I

In Neyyattinkara the army opened fire and five people lost their lives. K.R.Elenkath and others resigned from the legislative body in protest. There was another police firing in Quilion with two deaths. One man lost his lag. In Kuttanadu people blocked roads under the leadership of  Kumbalathu Sankupillai.

State Congress was banned in Travancore. They moved their headquarters to Eranakulam. There was a great deal of support from Cochin state and even Madras to the agitation in Travancore. A delegation including E.M.Sankaran Namputhiripadu, K.A.Damodara Menon and P.Krishna Pillai were sent to Travancore from Cochin.A.K.Gopalan led a march in to Travancore. They were given big reception at every railway station. In Alwaye, UC.College students organized a big reception for A.K.Gopalan and his party. Police intervened and A.K.Gopalan and his team were arrested. Police beat up A.K.G. in jail He and his group were moved to jails in Kottayam and then Vaikkam. Rumor spread that AKG died from police brutality. People massed in front of the police station in Vaikkaom and demanded that AKG be brought out. They dispersed only after AKG was brought out to the veranda. On September 12 1938 Malayala Manorama's license was revoked and the offices sealed. Out of state papers like Mathrubhoomi, Indian Express Deepam, Gomathy and Malabar Mail were also banned from the state.

In Kottarakkra district at a place called Kadakkal police and army unleashed terrible atrocities in response to a Congress demonstration against a crooked contractor. People including women were beaten and houses burnt.

Mean time C.P secretly sent his emissaries to negotiate with Congress leaders. They demanded unconditional release from jail first. C.P. tried to paint State Congress as a Christian communal organization. He tried to create a rival organization which never got of the ground.

By October 10, 1938 workers began to join the agitation. Both in Quilion and Aleppy there was loss of life. On October 19, 1938 the workers declared a strike. Jails were overflowing by now. There was a mass rally by workers in Aleppy on October 21, 1938.There was yet another police firing when the workers blocked transportation of goods. Akkamma Cheriyan led a mammoth rally to Trivandrum's Kavadiyar palace, the residence of the Maharajah. The government caved in lifting the ban on state Congress and youth league and releasing the leaders from jail.

A document incriminating Sir.C.P. with repression was in circulation at that time. In a very divisive move Mahatma Gandhi demanded that state Congress withdraw that document. C.P.felt vindicated. Compliance to Gandhi's demand led to a split in the state Congress with many of it's youth leaders leaving Congress and joining either the Communist party or the socialists.

C.P continued his repressive tactics with impunity. Arrests and denial of civil rights continued. Leaders were banned practicing law or disqualified for political office. Annie Mascreen was treated shabbily in jail.

Even as local leaders were planning another agitation Gandhiji again requested to stop it. C.P. himself orchestrated a big 60th birthday celebration for himself. A C.P. statue was erected in Trivandrum. A C.P.inspired "democratic committee" presented CP with a testimonial engraved on a gold plate !C.P. was trying to prove that he had a greater following amongst people than the Congress.

The war broke out in September 1939.Agitation in the state was temporarily stopped at Gandhi's request. C.P. concentrated on recruiting for the army. When CP visited Cochin students from Thevara college under the leadership of Baby John greeted him with black flags.

On august 9, 1949 soon after the quit India proclamation the British began to arrest Congress leaders outside the state. C.P took the cue and locked up state Congress leaders in Travancore. The youth wing of the Congress did not cooperate with the 'Quit India' movement on the grounds that there was a war going on there and it was not right to destabilize the government at such a time.

There was an election in 1944 to the legislative bodies. But those Congress leaders who were jailed previously were barred from running for office.

In 1946 CP announced some administrative reforms which were cosmetic. All the power remained in the hands of the devan. There was condemnation of the 'American model' reforms. Congress was criticized for taking part in discussions with C.P.

The Communist party had by now become a powerful force in Travancore. The party had strong following in Aleppy and Chertala districts. They organized unions amongst the beedi workers coir workers of Aleppy and the toddy tappers of Chertalai. The workers had tremendous resentment towards the land owners and employers on account of low wages, job uncertainty and exploitation. There followed a conflict between landlords and employers on the one hand and workers on the other hand. Each side complained about the other. The workers claimed that the land owners and employers were suppressing their unions while the former complained that the workers were attacking their homes. The landlords further alerted the authorities about secret military training by workers. The government reinforced the army and police in affected areas. The workers decided to deal might with might . Some men retired from the army started training Communist workers. The government targeted the Communist party and it's unions. Several leaders were arrested. Aleppy and vicinity changed to an armed camp. The army made route marches instilling fear in to people. Minor confrontations occurred between the workers and the army.

On September 24,1946 the workers of Aleppy and Chertalai declared a general strike. Leaders like Sugathan were arrested. Workers became enraged. They enmassed in Punnapra. An open war erupted between the police and the people on a public road. The people won this first round. The police were attacked with their own guns and clubs. An inspector of police was killed.

Sir C.P. countered this with declaration of martial law in Aleppy and surrounding areas. He declared himself as the commander in chief. There were rumors that there were secret training camps for workers in Punnappra. Major general V.N.Parameswaran led the army by sea and by land to Punnapra. A key bridge had been destroyed by the workers. The army vent their wrath indiscriminately on villagers. The workers offered resistance and attacked the army with home made weapons like sharpened sticks and stones. The army unit that arrived by water was prevented from landing for 3 hours. But ultimately the superior fire power of the army prevailed Nearly 700 workers were shot at close range. The army continued it's firing and burning of houses long after all resistance was gone.

Historians have differed in their views about the Punnapra Vayalar struggle. Left parties describe the struggle as an important land mark against authoritarian rule. Others have portrayed it as a fight led by a leadership with poor long term vision. Several communist leaders were arrested and charged.

Those charged included Kumara Panikkar, Pathrose, Kunjan, K.C.Georgge, P.G.Padmanabhan , M.N.Govindan Nair T.V.Thomas and T.K.Divakaran. Some who were convicted were ordered hanged. ( But a future Government would release them.)

CP continued his repressive policies making more arrests. Such measures caused even more animosity towards the dewan. Some plotted to assassinate him.

In the mean time changes were occurring rapidly in India as a whole. Britain passed the India independence act in 1946.India was to become independent by august 14,1947. A temporary government came in to existence under Pundit Nehru.

The princely states were given the option to remain independent or join the Indian union. Some rulers like Nysam of Hyderabad were already planning declare independence. CP tried to follow the same route. State Congress opposed CP's plans. Organizations like the NSS which previously supported CP now joined hands with Congress.

Congress was getting ready for one final battle with CP. Students were agitating once again. Their leaders like K.Balakrishnan and G.Ravindra Varma were arrested. Pattam Thanu Pillai announced a march from Ernakulam to Trivandrum. He was not arrested, but CP's goondas disrupted the meeting.

Then one night CP was attending a concert at the Swati Thirunal academy. There was a preplanned power failure and a little commotion. When the lights came on CP had been wounded with a sword. The police turned on the city for one last time in vengeance. Either because of the attack on his life or on account of a meeting CP had earlier with lord Mount Britain in Delhi CP now announced that Travancore was joining the Indian union. On August 19, 1947 CP resigned his job and left Travancore.

P.G.Unnithan was appointed as the new Devan. On September 4, 1947 a royal decree was declared that elections were to be held to form a body to draw up a constitution for the state All eligible by age were to be given voting rights. The elected body however decided that since India as a whole had a constitution Travancore need not bother to make one of it's own. They continued as a legislative body. On March 24, 1948 by a royal decree a democratic government was created. Pattam Thanu Pillai, C.Kesavan and T.M.Verghese were in that ministry. Divan rule came to an end.
The Pattam ministry resigned on October 17, 1949 after disputes about expansion. The next ministry under Paravur T.K.Narayana Pillai was sworn in on October 22, 1949. It included A.J.John and Dr.E.K.Madhavan Nair.

On June 8, 1949 the Indian government hadannounced reorganization of states. Travancore was combined to Cochin and the Travancore maharajah was appointed as 'rajapramukhan'. The raja of Cochin was given a pension and retired.

On July 1, 1949 the Travancore-Cochin ministries were combined. That ministry collapsed due to differences of opinion on February 24, 1951.In 1952 there were general elections in India. In Travancore-Cochin no party had a majority. On March 12, 1952 after some delays a ministry was sworn in with mr. A.J.John as chief minister. Members were Panampilly, T.M.Verghese, Kalathil Velayudhan Nair, V.Madhavan and Kochu KuttanAfter sometime mr Chidambara Nadar also joined as representative of Tamilnadu Congress. This ministry was voted out on September 23, 1952. The 1954 elections again were inconclusive, Pattam 's P.S.P formed a government with Congress supporting from outside. Congress subsequently withdrew support and the ministry collapsed. The next government was also short lived and president's rule was declared. On November 1, 1956 Kerala state came in to existence. Rajapramukhan was replaced by a governor. From the old Travancore Thovala, Agastheeswaram, Kalkkulam and Valavancode and a part of Chenkottai went to Tamil Nadu. Malabar and Kassergodu district of Karnataka were added to Travancore -Cochin. Mr.B.Ramarao was appointed as the first governor. In the first elections that followed The communists gained a majority and the first Kerala ministry was sworn in under the leadership of  Mr.E.M.Sankaran Namputhiripad.

Go to Part-6 : Recent History