KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the late M.K. Raghavan, renowned trade union leader, was a public figure who worked for the people without aiming at personal gains.
Inaugurating Raghavan’s birth centenary celebrations at Thoppumpady here on Saturday, Mr. Vijayan said the trade union leader had set a model for public service that focussed on people’s welfare and upliftment of the needy. A statue of Raghavan was also unveiled on the occasion.
“Raghavan was not among those who used public service to make personal gains. Instead, he sacrificed his entire life for the well-being of the people,” the Chief Minister said.
A personality that will never vanish from the minds of West Kochi residents, Raghavan participated in the Independence movement as a student. He served as a trade union leader, MLA, and community leader, besides initiating several welfare programmes as the first chairman of the Mattanchery municipality. He set a model by donating nearly 71 cents to the Panayappalli Government School.
The Chief Minister said Mr. Raghavan, who entered public life through the Cochin Port Workers Union, led it till his death. He was instrumental in presenting the Bill for the welfare of workers in the Assembly, besides taking the lead in setting up the Headload Workers Welfare Board in Kochi.
Mr. Vijayan said Mr. Raghavan had always fought for what was right even when he played the leadership role in the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP). The renowned leader had also reminded the community members to stay away from religious communalism, he added.
K.J. Maxi, MLA, presided over the function. K.V. Thomas, MP; Mayor Soumini Jain, and critic M.K. Sanoo were among those who were present.
