Funds earmarked for A K Gopalan museum

Thiruvananthapuram: Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac has decided to do his bit to uphold the legacy of Marxist veteran A. K. Gopalan after the war of words triggered by the Facebook post of  Congress MLA V.T. Balram lampooning AKG recently.   Dr Isaac,   in his budget speech on Friday, allotted  Rs.10 crore for constructing a monument at  his native place Peralassery  and  Rs.10 crore  for establishing a memorial museum near Punnapra-Vayalar Smrithi Mandapam, Alappuzha.

However,  this has provoked Mr  Balram to go back to the Facebook and make some sharp comments. Dr  Isaac referred to AKG as a  ‘flaming fire’  in the forefront of the revolt  for  Indian independence and  for the oppressed.   One can only read with a thrilling heart the memories of Susheela Gopalan in her article, ‘Companion, Husband, Comrade and Leader’ about AKG, he said.

“When AKG was reminded of his health condition at the time of declaring a fast, he said that thousands of workers had been starving for several days and that his sufferings were not greater than theirs. Now Rs 10 crore is earmarked for constructing a monument in his native place Peralassery, Kannur,  befitting  his memory,”  said Dr Isaac.

He   even posted a picture of AKG along with the excerpts of his budget speech  on his Facebook. Mr Balram had alleged last month that AKG was a paedophile as Susheela Gopalan was a minor when he met her for the first time.