Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan, veteran CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan and other political leaders on Sunday extended greetings to the people on the occasion of the 70th Kerala Piravi or Keralam formation day.
Satheesan, in a social media post, said the state has completed seven successful decades and is moving towards a new era with the strength of the achievements and lessons learned from various fields in the last seven decades.
“The government is moving forward with the vision of good governance with empathy. Along with development, we need an administration that looks at the life and difficulties of every human being with care. The next 5 years are an important period that will determine the future of Keralam. With the strength of our experiences, let us walk hand in hand towards a new era of Keralam,” he said.
Vijayan, the Leader of Opposition, in his greetings said that the day was a reminder of the realisation of the dream of a united Keralam by all the Malayalam-speaking regions.
“Our state was formed based on language as a result of long-standing agitations and cultural movements. This day, which is one of the brightest chapters in the history of Keralam, is also an opportunity to strengthen our love and commitment to our state,” he said in a Facebook post.
Vijayan claimed that the Communist Party played an indispensable role in forming a united Keralam.
He said that in 1957, the government led by the Communist Party initiated the ‘Kerala Model’, which is an example for the world, through comprehensive land reforms and universal education.
“It was the strong political interventions of the Left that transformed Keralam into a secular society that embraced the values of the renaissance, demolished the caste-feudal systems, and ensured equal rights and dignity for all people regardless of caste and religion,” he said.
He claimed that currently “conscious efforts” are being made from some corners to destroy the great tradition and unity of Keralam.
“We need to stand united to protect the democratic and secular values of Keralam by resisting the forces of communalism and hatred. We must be able to declare that narrow-minded thoughts that divide people have no place on the soil of Keralam. Let us take a pledge together on this Kerala Piravi Day to scale new heights of development and social progress by maintaining mutual love and brotherhood,” Vijayan said.
State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said that the day marks seven decades since Travancore, Kochi and Malabar joined hands to give birth to Keralam.
“My heartfelt wishes to all my dear Malayalis around the world on Kerala Piravi!,” he said in a social media post.
Kerala Piravi marks the formation of the state on November 1, 1956, nearly a decade after India’s Independence.
Before the formation of Keralam, the region was divided into three administrative units — the princely states of Travancore and Cochin, and the Malabar region, which was under British rule.
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