CPI(M) leader Com. D Mani passes away

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, freedom fighter and former MLA in Tamil Nadu Assembly Comrade D Mani passed away on Tuesday, May 1st. The 88 year-old four-time former legislator had not been keeping well for some time, CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan said. Party flags would fly half-mast in CPI(M) offices across the state for three days starting Wednesday, he said in a statement.

Having joined the Communist movement in 1944, Mr Mani was instrumental in forming trade unions for rubber and cashew workers in Kanyakumari district and had served prison terms, besides going underground for nearly six years, he said.Com Mani represented Vilavankode constituency four times in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. In 1948, when the communist party was legally banned, he along with his brother went underground and paid special attention in forming party units in the southern portion of the then Travancore state. in 1948 october 2 both of them where captured and send to jail.

His body was taken from hospital to the CPIM district committee office at Thiruvananthapuram where CPI (M) leaders including Opposition Minister of Kerala Assembly V.S.Achuthananthan, PB Members Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodyeri Balakrishnan paid tributes to the great leader. Later the body was brought to his house at Marthandam and a large number of people paid tribute to him.

CPIM Tamil Nadu State Secretary Com G Ramakrishnan, State secretariate member Com Noor Mohammed paid tributes to the leader. His body was laid to rest near his brother's memorial, G. S. Mani at Vettunthi near Marthandam.

All the May Day functions organised by the CPI(M) were cancelled due to the death of D. Mani. In the meantime a peace procession was organised in Nagercoil