Farewell with tears to Kanam

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KOTTAYAM: The Capital bid a tearful farewell to Kanam Rajendran. The body will be cremated this afternoon at Kochukalappurayidam, the family home in Vazhoor, on the ground where his father and mother rest.

After thousands of party workers and public offered tearful prayers, the body was taken to Kottayam at around two in the afternoon. The body was brought for public viewing around 11 am to the CPI's interim party headquarters, PS Memorial at Pattom. The scene of Congress leader AK Antony consoling CPI General Secretary D Raja in front of the lifeless body of Kanam who had always striven to keep the party together through vigorous movements, brought tears to the eyes of all the bystanders. The scenes of ministers K. Rajan, P. Prasad, GR Anil and others bursting into tears were also painful.

Thousands of people of all political affiliations waited at the family home and surrounding areas to catch a last glimpse of the body of the dear comrade who brought the name of Kanam village to the heights. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers will attend the funeral ceremony with official honours.

The body was brought to the capital by a special flight yesterday at 9:45 am. Party leaders KE Ismail, Binoy Viswam, Prakash Babu, P Santhosh Kumar, Sathyan Mokeri, E Chandrasekaran, PP Suneer, KP Rajendran and Minister J Chinchurani draped the party flag on the body which was received by the Red Volunteers with the slogan 'No No Death, You Still Live Through Us''. His wife Vanaja and other family members paid their respects. D. Raja, Binoy Viswam MP, Pannyan Ravindran, Prakash Babu, PP Suneer and other CPI ministers left for Kanam with the dead body.