The phenomenon of trade unions in Kerala has baffled industrialists, businessmen and even politicians. There is no section in society which has not been covered by trade unions. Even priests of temples in the State come under the ambit of the trade unions affiliated to the CPI (M) or the Congress.

The latest to hog the limelight is a group of persons who claim themselves to be victims of police highhandedness during the 1975-1977 Internal Emergency. The 'victims' who claim that they were beaten up by the police when they staged demonstrations against the internal Emergency should be suitably compensated with medical expenses and pension. "This agitation should be recognised as the second freedom struggle," said Rajasekhara Panickar, who is the spirit behind the movement.

It is known to most of the people that the black days of Emergency had fettered civil rights and freedom to protest. The police were under strict orders not to allow any kind of demonstrations anywhere in Kerala, a State known for its indiscipline and propensity to flash strikes causing a lot of inconvenience to the general public. The internal Emergency had a telling effect on the 1977 general election. While the rest of India voted for a change of Government at the Centre, the electorate of Kerala gave a thumping majority to the Congress-led front in the State.

The Congress-led United Front swept the polls to the Assembly by winning 111 out of the 140 seats.

Then the CPI(M)-led front was decimated and could win just 29 seats. What is unique about this election was that the real EMS Namboodirippadu himself led the Opposition challenge. The CPI (M) leader just scraped through with a wafer thin majority of 2,000 votes. The Congress-led front made a clean sweep by winning all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the State. The 1977 election was the swan song of Namboodirippadu.

There were some isolated protests staged by the RSS and the CPI (ML) in the State during the initial days of the Emergency which was put down by the police. It is natural for the police to tackle the protesters with full might as they were under instructions from the then Chief Minister C Achutha Menon (CPI) and Home Minister K Karunakaran not to allow any kind of dissent. Many demonstrators were beaten up and arrested.

Those who were arrested were assaulted and the police did not hesitate to use third-degree measures against them. The CPI was in the company of Congress and supported the emergency as well as Indira Gandhi.

Panickar is planning to lead a delegation of Emergency victims for a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek recognition for the agitation as a freedom struggle. Monthly pension and reimbursement of medical bills form part of the charter of demands. In the long run, they may demand a bonus too.