Deshabhimani VS Achuthanandan tribute sparks CPI(M) editorial row over 'Kallan Vijayan'
Synopsis
A tribute edition to VS Achuthanandan turned into one of Deshabhimani's worst editorial crises in years — a disputed layout, a last-minute print suspension, an official denial contradicted by the very person whose article was pulled, and now a CPI(M) internal inquiry. The storm reveals how even a party newspaper's commemorative choices can become a political liability.
Key Takeaways
Deshabhimani's weekend supplement marking V.S.
Achuthanandan's first death anniversary was delayed and released on Monday without the article on theatre activist Kallan Vijayan .
Sources say an internal editorial dispute arose over the juxtaposition of V.S.
Achuthanandan's memorial and the bold 'Kallan Vijayan' headline, which some feared could be politically misread.
Swaraj denied any article on Kallan Vijayan was ever prepared — a claim directly contradicted by Kallan Vijayan himself, who said he had provided information and a photograph for the piece.
The CPI(M) is reportedly set to launch an internal inquiry into who approved the layout and why the newspaper's official account differed from the activist's.
The controversy has turned a planned tribute to one of Kerala's foremost communist leaders into a significant political and media controversy for the party.
Deshabhimani, the official organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has found itself at the centre of a significant editorial controversy after its weekend supplement marking the first death anniversary of former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan was delayed, reworked, and ultimately released without an article on theatre activist 'Kallan Vijayan' of Pullampara. The episode, which unfolded in Thiruvananthapuram, has exposed contradictions within the party newspaper's own narrative and triggered calls for an internal inquiry within the CPI(M).
How the Controversy Unfolded
The special supplement, headlined 'Muzhangunnippozhum Aa Kadalarambam' (The roar of that sea still echoes), was originally scheduled for release on Sunday but was withheld — officially on grounds of technical difficulties. The edition carries tributes to V.S. Achuthanandan from several writers, including his former Press Secretary K.V. Sudhakaran, with memorial content occupying both the front and back pages.
The delayed release on Monday arrived without an article titled 'Kallan Vijayan, Dhanya Nataka Gramam, Muthippaara P.O.' — a profile of Vijayan of Pullampara, a noted theatre activist popularly known as 'Kallan Vijayan' (which translates to 'Thief Vijayan' in English). According to reports, the article had originally been slated for the same issue.
The Editorial Dispute at Deshabhimani
According to sources, a section within Deshabhimani's editorial team raised objections to the planned layout. The concern centred on the juxtaposition of V.S. Achuthanandan's photograph and memorial content on the front page alongside the bold headline 'Kallan Vijayan' on the last page — a combination that, critics within the team reportedly feared, could invite political ridicule or be deliberately misread as an insult to the late communist stalwart.
The disagreement reportedly escalated into a full editorial dispute, resulting in the last-minute suspension of printing. The newspaper, however, maintained publicly that the delay was purely technical in nature.
Resident Editor's Denial Contradicted by Kallan Vijayan
Deshabhimani Resident Editor M. Swaraj went further, denying that any article on Kallan Vijayan had ever been commissioned or prepared, dismissing reports about it as baseless and asserting there was no editorial dispute.
That position was directly contradicted by Kallan Vijayan himself. The theatre activist stated that Deshabhimani representatives had contacted him, gathered information about his life and work, and even requested a group photograph — which he had provided. He said he had been informed the article would appear in the weekend supplement, but received no explanation for its eventual omission. His account stands in stark contrast to the newspaper's official position.
CPI(M) Internal Inquiry Expected
Amid mounting criticism from across civil society — with many alleging that the party newspaper mishandled what was meant to be a solemn tribute to one of Kerala's foremost communist leaders — the CPI(M) is now reportedly set to conduct an internal inquiry into the episode.
The investigation is expected to examine whether the inclusion of the 'Kallan Vijayan' article alongside the memorial pages was deliberate, who approved the layout, why the newspaper's official explanation diverged from the theatre activist's account, and how the printing suspension was authorised. Notably, this is not merely an editorial lapse — it has surfaced apparent fault lines within the party's own media machinery.
What It Means for Deshabhimani and the CPI(M)
What was intended as a dignified commemoration of V.S. Achuthanandan — one of Kerala's tallest communist icons — has instead become an avoidable political and media controversy for the CPI(M). The episode raises questions about editorial oversight at Deshabhimani and whether internal party pressures are influencing journalistic decisions at its flagship publication. How the party's inquiry resolves these contradictions will be closely watched across Kerala's political and media circles.
Point of View
The real damage is not the dropped article but the optics: a memorial to V.S. Achuthanandan, a leader who embodied a certain communist moral authority, has become a test case for whether the party's media arm can be trusted to tell the truth about itself.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the Deshabhimani editorial controversy over the VS Achuthanandan anniversary edition?
The controversy began when an article profiling theatre activist 'Kallan Vijayan' was scheduled alongside the V.S. Achuthanandan death anniversary memorial in Deshabhimani's weekend supplement. A section of the editorial team reportedly objected to the layout, fearing the juxtaposition of the memorial and the 'Kallan Vijayan' (Thief Vijayan) headline could be politically misread as an insult to the late communist leader, triggering a last-minute printing suspension.
Who is Kallan Vijayan and why was his article controversial?
'Kallan Vijayan' is the popular name of Vijayan of Pullampara, a noted theatre activist from Kerala. His nickname translates to 'Thief Vijayan' in English, and editorial concerns centred on the bold use of that headline on the last page of a supplement whose front page was dedicated to V.S. Achuthanandan's memorial — a combination critics within the team feared could be deliberately misinterpreted.
Did Deshabhimani deny preparing the Kallan Vijayan article?
Yes. Resident Editor M. Swaraj publicly denied that any article on Kallan Vijayan had been commissioned or prepared, calling reports about it baseless. However, Kallan Vijayan himself contradicted this, stating that Deshabhimani representatives had contacted him, collected information about his life and work, and requested a group photograph, which he had provided.
What action is the CPI(M) expected to take following the controversy?
The CPI(M) is reportedly set to conduct an internal inquiry into the episode. The investigation is expected to examine who approved the layout, whether the inclusion of the 'Kallan Vijayan' article alongside the memorial was deliberate, and why the newspaper's official explanation differed from the account given by the theatre activist.
What did the final Deshabhimani supplement released on Monday contain?
The edition released on Monday carried only the V.S. Achuthanandan memorial package, headlined 'Muzhangunnippozhum Aa Kadalarambam' (The roar of that sea still echoes), with tributes from several writers including former Press Secretary K.V. Sudhakaran. The article on Kallan Vijayan was omitted entirely.
