The communists in Kerala are going hammer and tongs for constructing a memorial for Marxist legend P Krishna Pillai. And the CPI(M) has issued a diktat to its cadre to donate gold and land for the cause.
The party's district committee has also fixed the weight of gold and area of land to be donated and party members have been instructed to meet the target.
For example, the Alapuzha area committee has to cough up Rs 10 lakh in cash and 50 sovereigns of gold and five acres of land.
Since the party diktat is the final word for the cadre, there has been a steady flow of donations for the Rs 1 crore project. Former district secretary G Sudhakaran's wife has donated five sovereigns of gold and former Devasom board member V G K Menon has contributed six sovereigns.
But all are not so happy with the latest 'gold hunt' of the party. A section of the party feels that the massive amount should have been invested to build some public utility services rather than a party complex. "A corporate culture has gripped the party. What is the use of a palatial building complex? What purpose will it serve by squeezing poor workers," asks an indignant senior leader.
However, the CPM central committee member and brain behind the memorial M A Baby begs to differ. "Why do you create such a fuss? Even Gandhiji accepted gold ornaments during the freedom struggle," he says. According to Baby, the complex comprising a library, community hall, 100 dormitories and several other facilities is a dream project of the party.
"There is no coercion," he claims.
But many here see the drive as a marked shift in the party's way to raise
funds. Earlier the richest party of the state was known for its 'bucket
collections'. The party had floated a TV channel and build apartments for
its leaders through bucket collections.