"Memo on Political-Practical Activities in Kerala" — meetings, baithaks, signature campaign and propaganda squads

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we have conducted ever since August 9 in order to rouse the people's patriotism and [struck-over word] self-confidence to resist the invaders and to win National Government. By this means we have succeeded in preventing workers' strikes and prolonged students' strikes prevented clashes with the police, and at the same time strengthened the people's morale, strengthening it against the Government repression and the subtle Fifth-Columnist propaganda. On August 10 following the arrest of our national leaders, the procession of workers, students and middle-class elements that we conducted in Calicut, culminating in a big mass meeting which demanded the release of the Congress Leaders, prevented the people from being used by the struggle wallas. This has happened in numerous other places, and not once but many times. For example, on the Gandhi Jayanti occasion, we adopted this method very effectively in Palghat and Tellicherry. It was, in fact, not the blind repression of the police but our political campaign among the people that has led to the failure of the Civil Disobedience Movement in Kerala. Mass meetings and processions have been of the uttermost importance for us in this respect.

        From the Unity Week onwards, very many meetings and processions have been conducted in Malabar. Chirakkal Taluk alone conducted 8 processions and 1085 meetings, and got 65,000 people to participate in these; this during Unity Week alone. We haven't got complete reports from other talukas. Ernad, during the Unity Week, had 41 meetings, 3,250 people participating; in Ponnani 39 meetings, 3,300 people participating. Meetings praying to the Madras Governor to exercise clemency on the Kayyur comrades condemned to death; meetings asking the Viceroy to provide facilities for Rajaji to meet Gandhiji; countless price-control meetings; numerous processions to the local Tahsildars and Revenue Inspectors and Sub-Collectors and the Collector of Malabar himself - all this has helped to keep up the people's morale and to set their face against sabotage.

        4. GROUP TALKS, BAITHAK MEETINGS, MASS CLASSES. These are a regular feature, and a substitute for big meetings and processions, [struck-over word] wherever meetings and processions are banned (Cochin, Travancore, Kasaragod Taluk in South Canara Dt.), and even in Malabar where meetings and processions are not banned, these are important weapons. In Cochin State, during the Unity Week, 638 baithak meetings were held, in which 19,600 people participated. In Ambalappusha Taluk in Travancore, during the Unity Week, 260 baithak meetings, with 8,000 people participating, were held. In Ponnani Taluk in Malabar, during the same week, 116 small meetings were conducted in which 1600 people participated. In Kasaragod, 1700 people participated in 30 baithak meetings.

        5. SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN. This method is also very effective whether meetings and processions are banned or otherwise. In Cochin and Travancore, this has had a special role to play. In Chirakkal Taluk, during Unity Week, 21,619 signatures were collected on the Unity Week Pledge. Ernad, 625 signatures. Kasaragod, 5460 signatures. Ambalapusha Taluk in Travancore, 4000 signatures. In Amballoor, Cochin State, an appeal to the Government to take back the dismissed workers back to work in the local mills, stop police prepression and employers' rowdyism, and get production going on once again, received 10,000 signatures from the local people; so much so that the Government was compelled to intervene, and the situation improved. As for students, we have been able to rally as many as 4500 students throughout Kerala by means of the signature campaign ([struck-over word] 2000 in Malabar, 2000 in Cochin, and 500 in Travancore).

        6. PATRIOTIC PROPAGANDA SQUADS DOING HOUSE-TO-HOUSE PROPAGANDA. This has been very effective in rooting out Fifth column influence. In Chirakkal, during Unity Week 393[?] squads, consisting of 124[?] persons, covered 2,007 houses. In Kasaragod, 20 squads. In Cochin State, during the Unity Week, 455 squads covered 3138 houses.

        The above statistics all are taken from the Unity Week reports only. A great deal of further success has been gained since that time, more and more meetings, processions, baithak meetings, etc are being conducted, more and more signatures collected, more and more houses penetrated, etc., etc. It is not necessary to burden this document with further statistics. What is intended here is only to give a