Hundreds pay homage as Kanam Rajendran cremated with official honours
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Kottayam, Kerala: The late CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran was cremated with official honours on Sunday morning at his residence in his native village in this district. The funeral was characterised by bugles, a gun salute, and chants of "lal salaam."
Hundreds of people came to pay their final respects to the 73-year-old leader this morning after his mortal remains arrived at his home in Kanam village on Saturday night.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI general secretary D Raja, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan, state Revenue Minister K Rajan and Agriculture Minister P Prasad were among the many senior political leaders and LDF members who turned up to bid adieu to Rajendran.
Long queues of people of all ages were seen leading to his home since early morning to pay their last respects.
As his body was carried away for performing the last rites, people started shouting ‘lal salaam’ and many broke down saying they could not believe their beloved leader had died.
Visuals on TV channels showed many others shouting, “he has not died”.
People kept turning up in large numbers even after Rajendran’s body was placed on the pyre.
As the pyre was lit, those present, including ministers Rajan and Prasad, shouted slogans like — ‘Lal salaam Rajetta’ and ‘Lal salaam comrade’.
Rajendran died on Friday, December 8, night following a heart attack in a private hospital in Kochi.
His mortal remains were brought to Thiruvananthapuram the next morning in a special flight and kept for public homage at party headquarters, PS Memorial, in the capital city.
Thereafter, his remains were taken to his village in Kottayam by road in a bus with thousands turning up along the route for a final glimpse of Rajendran and to pay their respects.
Rajendran had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for multiple ailments including heart and kidney-related issues and diabetes.
His right foot was recently amputated to contain the spread of an infection due to diabetes and had applied for three months leave from the party responsibilities due to health reasons.
Though the leader had expressed confidence in a speedy recovery, his health condition had suddenly worsened on Friday evening following a cardiac arrest.
The news of the demise of the veteran leader had come as a shock for everyone cutting across political lines in the state.
Popularly known as Kanam in the party and political circles, Rajendran has been serving as the state secretary of the CPI for three consecutive terms since 2015.
He was serving as the national executive and central secretariat member of the party.
A two-time MLA, well-known trade unionist and an accomplished organiser, Rajendran was considered one of the strongest leaders of the ruling Left Democratic Front after Chief Minister Vijayan.