The funeral schedule of VS Achuthanandan was adjusted to accommodate the unprecedented turnout, ensuring everyone a chance to bid farewell before his final rest in Punnapra. The funeral is expected to happen at 4 pm as of now.
Alappuzha: After nearly 24 hours, the funeral procession of former Kerala CM VS Achuthanandan reached Alappuzha with crowds braving heavy rain and chanting slogans and turning the streets into a sea of grief. All roads leading to his hometown were flocked with his supporters, who ignored the downpour and time to see their beloved leader. Unprecedented crowd was witnessed when the bus carrying the body of VS reached Ambalappuzha, the constituency that first sent him to the legislative assembly.
From Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam to the Velikkakathu house in Punnapra, the roads were lined with people, reminiscent of a party conference. Thousands of ordinary citizens gathered to pay their respects on the final journey of the man who lived a life of relentless struggle. VS' body was kept at Durbar Hall in Thiruvananthapuram, following which the funeral procession started. Children holding painted faces they had never seen before became an unforgettable sight on the roadside. Kerala gathered, shoulder to shoulder, parents holding their children and grandchildren in arms and on shoulders, to witness and record a century in motion. The chant, “We will carry forward the slogan you raised on this earth,” echoed like the roar of the sea—resonant even through the relentless rain. The spirit of V.S., once again, surged along the shores of struggle.
His son, Arun Kumar, stood with folded hands, acknowledging the beating heart of a land that held his father close—on the historic left bank. After reaching the Velikkakathu house and receiving the boundless love of his homeland, VS will be immortalised in Punnapra—a land that still resounds with the valor of martyrs—following a final public viewing at the Recreation Ground and the District Committee Office.
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Meanwhile, CPM state secretary MV Govindan informed that the funeral schedule has been changed. He said that an unprecedented crowd was waiting to see VS for the last time, and therefore there will be a change in the schedule, including the funeral. The CPM state secretary clarified that even if the time is extended, everyone will be given an opportunity to pay their respects. The funeral is expected to happen at 4 pm as of now.
