Freedom fighter and Communist Party of India (CPI) doyen K. Koyakunhi Naha, 102, died at his house at Parappanangadi in the district on Wednesday. He will be buried at the Hydros Masjid graveyard at Kodappali, near Chettippadi, at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
His birth centenary was celebrated on October 11, 2009, in which CPI national secretary A.B. Bardhan was the chief guest. Mr. Bardhan had described him as a living example of “a true communist who upheld Islamic faith”.
Naha, who was suffering from old age ailments, breathed his last around 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday. People from different walks of life, including leaders of all parties, paid him homage at his Malayambattu House.
Entering public life in 1930 on seeing the attack on freedom fighter Mohammed Abdurahman during the Salt Satyagraha on the Kozhikode beach, Naha held several political positions including the chairmanship of the 11th Congress conference held at Parappur.
He joined the CPI in 1941 in protest against the Congress's neglect of the problems of the farmers. He was incarcerated in Vellore Central Jail for 11 months in 1946-47 and in Kannur Jail in 1960. He took part in several agrarian struggles of Malabar, including the ones at Karuvallur, Kavumbai and Onjiyam.
He had gone underground along with such leaders as A.K. Gopalan, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, E.K. Nayanar, Moidu Moulavi, N. Kelu, M. Kumaran, and K.P. Gopalan. He had provided shelter to several of them.
Naha had contested to the Madras Assembly in 1952 and to the Kerala Assembly in 1960 and 1980. But he never won. He was defeated by his cousin and Indian Union Muslim League leader Avukkadar Kutty Naha two times at Tirurangadi. He is survived by five daughters and six sons.
(Courtesy : The Hindu)
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