A ‘ballad’ for CM in his presence by Kerala Secretariat Employees Association

Controversy surrounds CPI(M) as government employees sing praises for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, sparking criticism and debate.

Amid growing criticism against the cult worship in the ruling the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], a group song was sung by a section of government employees under the banner of CPI(M)-affiliated Kerala Secretariat Employees Association (KSEA) eulogising Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ‘as a phoenix and valiant commander-in-chief’ during his presence at the inauguration of a golden jubilee building of the organisation here on Thursday.

Earlier, a mega Thiruvathirakali organised in Thiruvananthapuram in connection with the CPI(M)‘s district conference in 2022 had earned notoriety and invited sharp criticism from various corners, with around 500 women dancing to the lines that hailed Mr. Vijayan as the saviour of Kerala. This time, around 100 people lined up to sing the encomium in the presence of the Chief Minister.

Speaking to The Hindu, Poovathur Chithrasenan, a government servant in the Finance department and a KSEA member, who penned the lines, said, “The lines praisingthe Chief Minister, a proletarian leader,were penned at the insistence of the KSEA office-bearers. I have published two anthologies of poems and have been engaging in creative writing for a while. Though I was bombarded with a barrage of criticism from various corners, including right-wing media, the feedback I received from fellow comrades were inspiring.”

Soon after the golden jubilee building of the KSEA was inaugurated, the members of the outfit began the song praising the Chief Minister and it continued till he was seated at the inaugural venue in the Central Stadium .

In 2022, the word used in the Thiruvathirakkali song to praise the Chief Minister - ‘Kaaranabhoothan’ (the man who makes things happen)-  had gone viral and was widely used for trolling Mr. Vijayan on social media platforms.

Ahead of the latest event, Mr. Vijayan on Wednesday played down the row pertaining to the song, saying he was not a person supporting personal or cult worship. Also, taking a dig at the media during the post-Cabinet briefing, Mr. Vijayansaid he knows very well that a even small amount of praise would cause heartburn for the media amid the barrage of criticism targeting him.

Speaking after the inauguration, Mr. Vijayan said that even though the Centre has been financially stifling Kerala, the State government would disburse the arrears and benefits of employees at the earliest. He also assured that the salary revision of the State government employees will be held in due time. The Central policy is to revise the salary of employees every 10 years, while the State government has been revising the pay every five years. He also said that there has been a notable change in the speedy disposal of files in various government departments. However, the speed and efficiency of the work have to be increased to allow people from all walks of life to feel the taste of governance.