The Rajya Sabha witnessed a deeply moving moment on Monday as C. Sadanandan Master, the nominated MP from Kerala, shared his survival story from a vicious political assault three decades ago. Introducing the motion of thanks to the President’s address, Master transitioned from policy discussion to personal tragedy, revealing how he lost the full use of his legs not to illness or accident, but to a targeted attack by CPI(M) cadres.
A one-time schoolteacher who rose through BJP ranks and maintains RSS affiliations, Master described the 1993 incident in chilling detail. Fresh off a bus after a family meeting on his sister’s wedding, he was set upon by organized attackers in a marketplace. They pinned him down amid rallying cries and delivered blows that necessitated artificial limbs—a reality he demonstrated by placing them conspicuously before him in the chamber.
Left lawmakers from Kerala erupted in protest, citing procedural norms to object to the props. Master stood firm, using the platform to interrogate modern champions of tolerance whose histories include such barbarism. ‘Words of democracy ring hollow when backed by a legacy of violence,’ he declared, emphasizing that genuine pluralism tolerates dissent through argument, not aggression.
Sworn in the name of the nation, Master framed his ordeal as emblematic of broader threats to democratic health. He stressed that political violence inflicts wounds far beyond the physical, fracturing communities and weakening institutions. In a nod to parliamentary tradition, he expressed gratitude to the presiding officer for facilitating this sanctioned revelation.
The address has sparked widespread commentary, highlighting persistent tensions in Kerala’s polarized politics. As India grapples with rising political discourse, Master’s unflinching narrative demands introspection on the shadows lurking within ideological battles, urging a return to civilized contention.