The Importance of the Comman Man...
S.P. Arul Kumar, Frontier Science
History and experience had proved time and again that no struggle ever will succeed without the support and participation of the broader masses. People, had never accepted any movement as their own, if they are not a part of it.
And no highclass thesis is necessary anymore to bringout this truth. Mammoth happenings that are taking place in international political and economic arena are so bold and so clear that the ordinary (common) man of the long suppressed class just watches and understands them. While the established intellectual fumbles to understand the essence of these happenings, it is not so difficult for the common man to understand them. Because they are a great movement in which he is the main part.”
The common man is becoming the most important single factor in everything that is happening around the world. The world is truly becoming the world of the common man.
Not only in the West and North, everywhere it is happening. And in our part of the world the new era had its beginning long before great events that are happening all over the world.
Yes, That was what I understood firmly when I came to know of a man with the name Comrade Pathmanabha.
It is onething to enumerate the political stand that Comrade Pathmanabha had taken at several important turns such as the question of organisation, relationship between ethnic communities and the question of national liberation line, the relationship
with India, unity between political groups and formation of the Provincial Council. One can easliy find, in that dynamism, the political trend of this decade. But it is the other way round, that another, simpler side of him that is the most important side of this common man.
Comrade Pathamanabha had been the Secretary General, the fighter, the organiser. But, above all, he was a simple, extraordinary, common man. It was that side of him which had so widely displayed the modern trend of our decade.
Comrade Pathmanabha, the common people know of was just another common man. In his eyes, he carried the simple message of affection for them. His smile carried compassion that simply won their hearts. His manners were easy, presenting respect for everyone. And hi3 presence made their day simple any hopeful. And who will ever forget those soft words? That voice of a loving son, of an affectionate brother, a responsible father? Comrade Pathmanabha was the language of a common man.
The suppressed people have no room for abstract politics. Comrade Pathmanabha, in that simplicity of a common man, brought them, the message of the future.
Comrade Pathmanabha, it often occurred to me, had always been trying to capture the depth of one’s reason. And he never failed to gather a wide spectrum of ideas from a thousand different people before coming to a conclusion. Once the decision was
made, it seemed to have got transformed into the most refined form of command: the simplicity of a common man.
And that simplicity was the exact reflection of the political trend of our decade. That simplicity of a common man had brought together people of different ethnic communities, motivated people of different sections to organise democratic platforms, steeled the bondage between our nations.
It was the same simplicity of a common man that had brought together so many, who were enemies otherwise. Differences of opinion had made no harm in his association with people of varying views. That simplicity of a common man bore the force of inspiring the heart of everyone who are in the forefront of the struggle for the betterment of our society and of motivating them to take a step further. The ultimate result had always been a new step ahead, taken by the struggling society as a whole, in all its democratic, social, professional and cultural platforms. His simplicity made every common man to feel and to take up his part in the struggle.
It is surely not an exaggeration when one says Comrade Pathmanabha had taken special care in everyone. Once I had been talking with one young Sri Lankan Tamil, whom others explained as a mentally deranged man. He recalled how Comrade Pathmanabha used to be very tough when it comes to completing works given by him. I just
asked the so called mentally deranged man if he felt free when comrade was not around. He immediately beamed a wide smile and happily said, “No, absolutely not. I feel extremely free only when he is around to scold me for not changing my pairs”. Now, I know the meaning of tears.
Comrade Pathmanabha had been a social force, the force that brought together people of different nations. And his faith in common people won absolute. That marked the beginning of the new era.
The cold war period is past receding into the past. Gone it was, now the international debate is on the question of violence, its role in social struggle. With the simple common man of our world becoming the most important single factor of our time, democratic struggle of the people is becoming decisive.
But imperialism will hardly realise it. As it had always done, it is now trying to immerse itself in fresh, false hopes about its future. Irrespective of the new tide of Histroy sweeping combodia, Vietnam, Afghanisthan, Africa, the old still remains here and there. They are not a builder of future but symptoms of withdrawal of a disease that held mankind so far.
Dead he maybe, but Comrade Pathmanabha can never be eliminated; For common man could never be eliminated.
It is only the future of imperialism and its means of violence that has become obsolate.
