Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 12 (IANS) The controversy surrounding eminent poet, critic and Kerala Sahitya Akademi President K. Satchidanandan’s remarks on the need for governments to alternate in power shows little sign of abating, even as the writer has now said he will not comment further on the issue.
Days after his initial observation triggered sharp reactions, particularly from sections aligned with the CPI-M, Satchidanandan had returned to social media with a detailed post situating his position within Marxist thought and democratic theory.
His original comment was widely read as questioning the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front’s assertion that it merits a rare third consecutive term in office.
The debate quickly spilled beyond party ranks, evolving into a broader argument over ideological loyalty, internal dissent and the role of public intellectuals in politically charged times.
In his follow-up post earlier this week, Satchidanandan invoked contemporary Marxist philosopher Jacques Ranciere and the idea of “subaltern democracy” as a safeguard against fascism and totalitarianism.
Democracy, he said, must render the invisible visible and create space for the unheard.
Marxism, he added, can remain relevant only by empowering workers, peasants, the poor and minorities, not by embracing development paradigms that privilege the upper middle class while widening inequality.
He also cited works such as Hatred of Democracy and How Democracies Die, cautioning against the dangers of monopoly of power and the erosion of viable democratic alternatives.
Responding to critics, he underscored his political past from participation in workers’ and tribal struggles and interrogation during the Emergency, to his resignation from the Sahitya Akademi following the murder of scholar M.M. Kalburgi, asserting that he had never sought patronage or favours.
On Thursday, however, the poet indicated he would close the chapter.
Reiterating that he criticises the Left from within and believes any party in power must practice self-criticism to avoid a sense of infallibility, Satchidanandan said he did not wish to spend further time responding to what he termed misinterpretations and “idle chatter”.
With Kerala inching towards another high-stakes election cycle, the episode in a state where ideological debates rarely remain confined to theory alone.
–IANS
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