K. P. R. Gopalan
Encyclopedia
K.P.R. Gopalan, popularly known as KPR was a freedom fighter and communist leader from Kaliasserry, Kannur, Kerala
, India
. KPR was active in the Indian National Congress
. At one point he was sentenced to death by the colonial authorities.
During the freedom struggle Gopalan was also the prime accused in trial on the murder of two policemen including a Sub-Inspector
. On Sept 15, 1940 the British police tried to stop a public gathering organised by the Indian National Congress protesting against famine. A scuffle followed, in which Valapattanam Sub-Inspector
K.M. Kuttikrishna Menon and Constable
Raman were killed. Gopalan was sentenced to death for this crime, but the British commuted the sentence to life imprisonment after Mahatma Gandhi became involved. There was obvious bias in the British judge's original verdict which found only one from a mob, that too its leader, responsible for the murder of the police official. It was generally agreed that it was political vendetta that resulted in the original verdict. This is exemplified by the fact that Gandhiji, known to be an advocate of anti-violent means of protest, interfered in this case for KPR in spite of the violence involved.
Together with much of the rest of the Congress leadership in Kerala
, KPR later joined the Communist Party of India
. In the 1964 split KPR sided with Communist Party of India (Marxist)
. He belonged to the leftist section of CPI(M), and in 1967 he joined the AICCCR and was expelled from CPI(M). He did however develop differences with the left-adventurist leadership of AICCCR, on issues such as elections. His group floated its own party, Communist Revolutionary Party
, ahead of the 1970 assembly elections.
He was also a well known chess & soccer (football) player in Kannur circles. He also did a fair bit of football refereeing. He married a widow while into his 70s. However, his wife died much earlier than he did. He was the uncle of the former Kerala chief minister, E.K. Nayanar
In his later years he was known again known to be closer to the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
although he remained separated from them.
KPR Gopalan died on August 6, 1997.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. KPR was active in the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. At one point he was sentenced to death by the colonial authorities.
During the freedom struggle Gopalan was also the prime accused in trial on the murder of two policemen including a Sub-Inspector
Sub-inspector
Sub-inspector is a rank used extensively in the Indian Police, Pakistani Police and Sri Lankan Police, which is primarily based on the British model. It was formerly used in most British colonial police forces and in certain British police forces as well...
. On Sept 15, 1940 the British police tried to stop a public gathering organised by the Indian National Congress protesting against famine. A scuffle followed, in which Valapattanam Sub-Inspector
Sub-inspector
Sub-inspector is a rank used extensively in the Indian Police, Pakistani Police and Sri Lankan Police, which is primarily based on the British model. It was formerly used in most British colonial police forces and in certain British police forces as well...
K.M. Kuttikrishna Menon and Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
Raman were killed. Gopalan was sentenced to death for this crime, but the British commuted the sentence to life imprisonment after Mahatma Gandhi became involved. There was obvious bias in the British judge's original verdict which found only one from a mob, that too its leader, responsible for the murder of the police official. It was generally agreed that it was political vendetta that resulted in the original verdict. This is exemplified by the fact that Gandhiji, known to be an advocate of anti-violent means of protest, interfered in this case for KPR in spite of the violence involved.
Together with much of the rest of the Congress leadership in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, KPR later joined the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
. In the 1964 split KPR sided with Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
. He belonged to the leftist section of CPI(M), and in 1967 he joined the AICCCR and was expelled from CPI(M). He did however develop differences with the left-adventurist leadership of AICCCR, on issues such as elections. His group floated its own party, Communist Revolutionary Party
Communist Revolutionary Party
Communist Revolutionary Party, a political party in Kerala, India. It was led by K.P.R. Gopalan. The party contested the 1970 elections, without success. It was however significant since this was the first group coming from the AICCCR tradition who tried to use elections for revolutionary purposes....
, ahead of the 1970 assembly elections.
He was also a well known chess & soccer (football) player in Kannur circles. He also did a fair bit of football refereeing. He married a widow while into his 70s. However, his wife died much earlier than he did. He was the uncle of the former Kerala chief minister, E.K. Nayanar
In his later years he was known again known to be closer to the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
although he remained separated from them.
KPR Gopalan died on August 6, 1997.