Congress Working Committee member A.K. Antony has called upon party workers to work against social decadence even as they work for economic prosperity of the country.

He was addressing a meeting organised to observe the 90th anniversary of the Vaikom Satyagraha at the historic boat jetty maidan at Vaikom.

Mr. Antony said the Vaikom Satyagraha was the turning point in Kerala’s social and political history, paving the way for a series of social reformation movements. Social reform movements were a continuous process.

“Ninety years ago, free movement of the people was the biggest social challenge. In the modern era, there are new challenges we have to face. As such, the reform movements should continue.”

Mr. Antony highlighted the ability of the then Congress party that could hold an agitation for 20 months against the failure of the modern political parties to hold on to their agitation even for three or four days. It was the leadership of people such as T.K. Madhavan which helped in forcing the then Congress leadership to take up the satyagraha.

Communal ties

One of the important features of the agitation was that it could strengthen communal relationship in society. It was not an agitation that was confined to Kerala alone, Mr. Antony said and pointed out that the Vaikom Satyagraha had its impact at the national level and volunteers had arrived at Vaikom even from Punjab to participate in this struggle on behalf of a section of marginalised people destined to live far off from the mainstream social life.

He said social evils such as liquor, drugs, and ostentatious tendencies resulted in increasing disparity in society.

“Time has come for Congress men to struggle against such tendencies even if they are forced to speak out unpleasant truths,” Mr. Antony said.

District Congress Committee president Tomy Kallani presided.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president V.M. Sudheeran, Congress leaders M.M. Jacob, M.P. Govindan Nair, and Vayalar Ravi, Ministers K.C. Joseph, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, and K. Babu, and a host of Congress leaders participated in the meeting.