Black Tea and Vada

The neo-liberalists in the CPI(M), led by State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, might have bid good bye to the era of privatisation, when communists, dreaming of nothing but a classless society and the total power of the proletariat, used to live on black tea, dal vada and beedis. But the faction of hardliners in the party headed by Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan still think that these symbols of frugality are icons to be tattooed on the chests of communists. At least, this is the message the hardliners are trying to convey to the neo-liberalist camp when they serve black tea and vada at party programmes.

CPI(M) central committee member and a trusted lieutenant of Pinarayi Vijayan in the group war EP Jayarajan had some time back commented at a party function that the efforts to build up the party with black coffee, dal vadas and beedis were senseless acts. "There are some people who think that the party could be developed that way. If the party is built up that way, the communist party will not get people to join it," he said.

As this statement gained popularity among the media, Jayarajan naturally began to receive criticisms to the effect that a leader of a proletarian party was speaking like a bourgeois. But he commented that the media was bent on destroying him and his leader Pinarayi and that was why they were reporting his speeches in distorted manner.

As it often happens with him, Jayarajan did not leave the matter there, but took it to the streets once again. On August 15, while inaugurating an Independence Day programme organised by the party's youth wing DYFI in Thrissur, he attacked the media for distorting his comment on black tea and vada. He tried to be a little bit humourous, saying that since his comment, vada's market had gone up. Indeed, certain Comrades on the very same moment were savouring scalding hot black tea and eating chilly-mixed dal vada at the same programme. More than hundred participants had got the treat given by, undoubtedly, those comrades who did not like Jayarajan and his anti-black tea theory.

The black-tea,vada programme has since then spread into other parts of the State with several instances of such treats at party programmes being reported from Palakkad districts in the last one week. Reports also suggest that vada and black tea are hot favourites at party functions in other parts of the State also.

At the same time, VS-loyalists in the party are seeing the comment made by Jayarajan, removed as general manager of party organ Desabhimani for receiving Rs 2 crore slush funds as deposit from lottery king Santiago Martin, as a clear sign of how the neo-liberalists led by Pinarayi Vijayan had adopted a neo-rich culture. "It is true that they-the likes of Jayarajan-don't want to have any part in a movement that is composed of people who smell of sweat.
The economy might have undergone several changes, but the communist party is basically the party of the working masses. Jayarajans will never understand this," fumed a VS-loyalist.