MM Lawrence, former Central Committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away on Saturday. His political journey was profoundly shaped by the attack on the Edappally police station on the night of 28 February 1950, which occurred during a ban on the Communist Party in Kerala. 

In Ernakulam, a secret meeting was held to support striking railway workers when Lawrence and his comrades learned that two members had been arrested. In response, a 17-member group from the banned Communist Party swiftly attacked the Edappally police station, aiming to free NK Madhavan and Varadukutty. The assault resulted in the deaths of two policemen, but the group could not rescue their comrades and fled as reinforcements arrived. This incident provoked severe police reprisals against Communist affiliates, significantly impacting Lawrence's political career. 

The brutality that ensued is vividly recounted in his memoir, Ormacheppu Thurakkumbol, which provides poignant insight into this tumultuous period. In his memoir, Lawrence quotes an incident in which a mother and son were brutally tortured as the police asked the son to have sex with his mother. The incident throws light on the tortures faced by the comrades during their efforts to build up the communist party in Kochi. 

Committed and dedicated party workers like MM Lawrence played a stellar role in building the party's presence in Kerala. Their selfless service to the common people earned the party the trust necessary to expand its base among the working class.

As one of the key leaders in Kochi and an influential mass leader, Lawrence was instrumental in organising scavengers in the area. Poet Balachandran Chullikkad recently paid tribute to Lawrence in his poem “Thotti,” published in Mathrubhumi Weekly. The poem hails Lawrence as the saviour of the scavengers in whom he instilled self-pride and confidence. 

As the long-serving secretary of the CPM Ernakulam district committee, Lawrence became an endearing presence among party workers and supporters.

Despite being a man of ideals and demonstrating excellent organizational skills, his repeated failures in electoral politics cast a shadow over his long political career. In his memoir, Lawrence stoically recounts the party’s failure to secure the position of the first mayor of Kochi Corporation when a corporator defected. Nevertheless, he managed to win a seat from the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency in 1980, marking his only victory in electoral politics.

He served the party as a state committee member, central committee member, and LDF convener, holding these positions with exemplary commitment and composure. However, later in his career, he faced setbacks due to factional disputes within the CPM.

As Lawrence bids farewell, yet another inspirational chapter in the history of the Communist Party comes to a close. The legacy he leaves behind will undoubtedly inspire future generations.