FACT marks foundation day; CPI questions move to honour C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer
FACT held its foundation day at Udyogmandal, honouring 11 employees and unveiling a portrait of C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, a move the CPI has criticised.
The foundation day of Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) was observed at the company's Udyogmandal club on Tuesday, with the public sector unit combining its annual celebrations with a tribute to C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, the Dewan of the erstwhile princely State of Travancore.
Madhu S. Nair, former chairman and managing director of Cochin Shipyard Limited, delivered the first C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer memorial lecture. A portrait of Iyer was unveiled during the programme. Eleven senior employees of the company were honoured on the occasion, according to the management. FACT chairman and managing director S. Sakthimani attended the event.
The decision to link the foundation day with Iyer's legacy has drawn criticism from the Communist Party of India (CPI). N. Arun, the party's Ernakulam district secretary, said in a communication that Iyer had merely played a natural role as Dewan of the erstwhile Travancore in the setting up of the public sector unit. He alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to glorify Iyer by celebrating him on the company's foundation day.
Arun further alleged that the State government had remained silent over the political agenda behind efforts to highlight Iyer's contribution to the formation of the company.