C Krishnan

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C. Krishnan was born on June 11, 1867 in Trichur District. He was an important member of a group of dedicated workers who were at the forefront fighting for the implementation of the revolutionary social reforms that Sri Narayana Guru preached for the uplift of the downtrodden millions of Kerala. He was called ‘Mithavadi’ (minimalist) C. Krishnan after the newspaper that he published from 1913 to ’38 for spreading the message of the reformatory movement. 

He worked in the Malabar region for spreading the activities of ‘Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam’ (S.N.D.P.), the association that was formed for fighting for the progressive ideals that the Guru formulated for the social uplift of the downtrodden. He participated in many conventions that the ‘Yogam’ organized, and chaired its 9^th anniversary that was held at Sivagiri along with the consecration ceremony of ‘Sharada’ temple there. In his speech he observed that though prima face the ‘Yogam’ looked like the venture of a particular caste, its activities are applicable to the whole nation as its basis was compassion. Since its leadership stood for the love and justice of all people, all other societies could work on its ideals.

C. Krishnan supported the British rule because he believed that freedom for rule without freedom from serfdom was meaningless. He objected to the activities of Gandhiji and the Indian National Congress because they did not address the social evils, but he was not their opponent. He was suspicious of the national freedom that would be won without putting an end to the social inequalities. He was conscious of the fact that the downtrodden and suffering millions of India had imbibed the ideals of freedom and progress just from the education and the systems that the British stood for. Mr. K. Kelappan, a great follower of Gandhiji, observed that C. Krishnan could not be found fault with for his support for the British. He did not believe in the attitude of the Congress Party that social evils could be got rid of after getting freedom for the country.

In his speech at the Youth Convention held at Cherthala, Kerala, in 1924 that C. Krishnan chaired, he gave vent to his anger at the Congress Party for not fighting for the eradication of the social practices that degraded socially the backward classes. In 1936 he wrote that in a country with communities having diverse interests, there would be no nationalist feeling. India remained disunited just because Hindus and Moslems and Christians very rarely united and worked together with mutual trust. His observation that it was more difficult to unite various castes in Hinduism than different religions remains true even decades after India’s independence. In 1937 he wrote that freedom won without gaining equality for all would lead to the domination of the minorities by the majority communities. He wanted the nationalists to find a solution for eliminating the impediments to social equality as political freedom would be meaningful only if various social groups tried for friendship between them.

He observed that there was no govt. or society anywhere else in the world that prohibited the use of public roads by a section of the society, and also prohibited them from going near places of worship. At the same time he lauded the Congress Party for participating in the struggle of the backward classes for the freedom to worship at the famous temple at Vaikom. C. Krishanan was in the forefront of people who supported the Vaikom struggle by providing material support. He wrote many editorials in his newspaper supporting this cause. In one editorial he wrote thus. “For a hundred years the Govt. of Travancore prohibited the people from entering schools. Now, they are blocking the roads also… They have worsened the situation than that in Russia.” He warned the govt. that the real owners of the land were the people and not the king and his govt. servants. When the rulers of Russia were overthrown from power at the conclusion of the Revolution, he warned again the Govt. of Travancore, and reminded the rulers of the imprisoning of the Russian rulers by the people there.

He believed that means to livelihood and education were essential for self-respect. He urged the downtrodden not to think of class differences. In an editorial that he wrote in 1916 he observed that though freedom for govt. employment was the right of the backward classes, it was not the only means for their upliftment. Though the Jews were persecuted in Europe by the Christian kings and people, they never went down in their social status. Likewise, others might try to prevent the untouchables from getting education, and the use of public roads. But, they could not prevent them from being honest, and also from rejecting the drinking of liquor. He exhorted that use of liquor was the major cause for human misery. If there were two groups of untouchables in the world, they were the ones who drank and those who did not drink liquor.

The life of Krishnan stands as an example of dedicated workers who surrounded Sri Narayana Guru who championed human equality for the upliftment of the degraded millions. Though he could have entered the govt. service and risen to higher positions by virtue of his education and affluence, he sacrificed all those opportunities for leading the backward classes out of the social dungeons to enjoy sunshine and freedom like the members of the so called forward communities in India. ‘The Mathrubhumi’ (news paper) wrote thus while paying tributes to him on his death (1938,November 29): ‘It is a difficult task for an individual to work in public for such vast and diverse causes for such a long time.’ This observation really referred to the idealism and dedication that he practiced through out his life for the genuine cause that he championed.