Summary
- Attappady’s tribal community sheltered communist leader V.S. Achuthanandan during the Emergency.
- He built deep bonds with locals, discussing India’s social and economic challenges in hiding.
- His later return as Kerala’s Chief Minister was a moment of pride for those who once gave him refuge.
Attappady’s Hills Remember a Time of Resistance
The rugged hills of Attappady in Kerala’s Palakkad district hold memories that transcend politics, tied to a time when India’s democratic fabric was under siege. During the Emergency (1975-77), V.S. Achuthanandan, then a key communist leader, sought refuge in these forests, finding not just shelter but an unshakable bond with the local tribal community.
Achuthanandan’s stay in Kavundikkal hamlet became a story of solidarity. Tribal elders like Binnan and Manappa Moopan extended warmth and trust, providing him safety as the police intensified their hunt for communist leaders. For Moopan, “VS was dear to Attappady,” a sentiment that continues to echo among the locals decades later.
Shri V.S. Achuthanandan was among the first leaders to bravely expose the dangerous plot of turning Kerala into an Islamic territory through tactics like murder, money power, and love jihad.
— Pratheesh Viswanath (@pratheesh_Hind) July 21, 2025
We thank him for his courage.
ॐ शांति।#Kerala #VSachuthanandan #LoveJihad pic.twitter.com/Kh4gEero3b
Life in Hiding: Conversations, Trust, and Survival
- Police searches forced Achuthanandan to shift between huts deep inside the forest.
- He held late-night discussions with tribal hosts on India’s socio-political struggles.
- Food and security were ensured by trusted locals like Shiv Shankar, son of Binnan.
During his brief stay, Achuthanandan lived a simple life, eating modest meals and conversing with Moopan and other tribal leaders about the country’s future. The forest hut, hidden amidst farmland, became an informal political classroom, where grassroots perspectives intertwined with larger ideological debates.
After a week, communist party workers whisked him away to Palakkad in a jeep, but his memories of Attappady lingered. For the locals, those days marked the forging of a bond that went beyond politics—built on loyalty, empathy, and courage.
From Refugee to Chief Minister
- Years later, Achuthanandan returned to Attappady as Kerala’s Chief Minister.
- His rise was celebrated as a shared victory by the tribals who once hid him.
- Tribal elders recall his leadership as grounded in humility and compassion.
When Achuthanandan revisited Attappady, no longer a fugitive but Kerala’s Chief Minister, it was a poignant moment. For Moopan and others, the man they once shielded had become a symbol of perseverance and hope. “It was a moment of pride for us all, who had once harboured him in secrecy,” Moopan recalled, tears welling as he mourned the leader’s recent passing.
A Legacy Etched in Attappady’s Soil
V.S. Achuthanandan’s relationship with Attappady is a reminder of how true leadership is rooted in trust and shared struggle. His death has left the tribal elders of the region with a profound sense of loss, but his legacy lives on through the stories they continue to tell—of the time when a leader, vulnerable yet unbroken, shared their homes, meals, and dreams of a better India.
