‘Kesari 2’ sparks Congress-BJP slugfest over Sankaran Nair’s legacy

With the release of a Bollywood movie, Kerala has found itself embroiled in a heated controversy over the legacy of Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, a prominent figure in India’s freedom struggle and the only Malayali to serve as president of the Indian National Congress ever — in 1897.

The release of the Bollywood film, Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, starring Akshay Kumar, brought renewed attention to Nair’s contributions, particularly his legal battle against Michael O’Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Punjab, whom Nair held responsible for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Vying for Nair’s legacy

This cinematic portrayal, based on the book, The Case That Shook the Empire, by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, Nair’s great-grandson and his wife, sparked a political tug-of-war between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala, each claiming Nair’s legacy for their own narrative.

Also read: Pahalgam terror attack: Father gone, Kerala survivor escaped through woods with twins

Chettur Sankaran Nair, born in 1857 in Mankara, Palakkad, was a distinguished lawyer, jurist, and statesman. He served as Advocate-General of the Madras Presidency, a member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, and a judge of the Madras High Court. His resignation from the Viceroy’s Council in protest against the British handling of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre marked a significant act of defiance.

Nair’s subsequent book, Gandhi and Anarchy (1922), slammed both British policies and Mahatma Gandhi’s non-cooperation movement, creating friction with the Congress leadership. Despite his contributions, Nair’s legacy didn’t get much recognition in Kerala for decades.

The current controversy erupted following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech on April 14, 2025, in Haryana, where he praised Nair as a “fearless voice against British atrocities.”

This was followed by Union minister Suresh Gopi’s visit to the Chettur family in Palakkad and Ottapalam, just before Nair’s death anniversary on April 24. Gopi’s visit, widely covered by media, was perceived by Congress leaders as an attempt by the BJP to “appropriate” Nair’s legacy to bolster its nationalist credentials in Kerala, a state where the party has historically struggled to gain traction.

Social media platforms, particularly X, amplified the debate, with the right wing accusing the Congress of neglecting Nair, reducing him to a “photo frame” at Indira Bhavan, the party’s Kerala headquarters.

Congress slams BJP

The Congress, in response, organised a state-level commemoration of Nair’s death anniversary led by the Chettur Sankaran Nair Foundation in Ottapalam. K Muraleedharan, a senior Congress leader, acknowledged Nair’s contributions but raised questions about his “nationalist credentials.” He pointed to Nair’s acceptance of British honours, including the Companion of the Indian Empire in 1904 and a knighthood in 1912, as well as his roles in the colonial administration.

“There were certain actions from Sankaran Nair's side that we could not fully agree with. However, he was not a communalist; he was a secularist. But it was only after stepping down from the post of Congress president that he became Advocate General, then a judge, and later a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council,” said Muraleedharan.

K Sudhakaran, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, escalated the rhetoric at a press conference in Kannur. “When did the BJP start remembering Chettur Sankaran Nair,” he asked, accusing the party of opportunism. “Their interest lies only in acquiring leaders from other parties.”

CPI(M) joins debate

On the other hand, the CPI(M) also joined the bandwagon, accusing both the BJP and the Congress.

“The Congress party’s failure to remember Chettur Sankaran Nair—and its neglect of his legacy—created an opportunity for the BJP. Although the BJP has no legitimate claim over him, it is now attempting to capitalise on Congress’s indifference,” said M V Govindan the party state secretary.

“The RSS had no role in the freedom struggle, as it chose not to participate in it. Yet, the BJP has even tried to appropriate Sardar Patel—even though he was the one who banned the RSS,” added Govindan.

Also read: 9 years as Kerala CM: Why Pinarayi Vijayan's legacy is a paradox

Interestingly, Shashi Tharoor—who some of his admirers have begun comparing to Sankaran Nair—had already taken to X ahead of the film’s release and even the prime minister’s statement to express his excitement.

“Thrilled to learn that ‘Kesari Chapter 2’ will bring the story of C Sankaran Nair to the big screen! A fearless patriot & the first Malayali president of the AICC who took on the British after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. His legacy deserves much greater recognition in modern Indian history.”

BJP hits back

However, Tharoor’s post drew a sharp response from BJP Kerala chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who used his own X handle to condemn the Congress. “One more example of how the Congress party airbrushes leaders from its history—just as it did with Subhash Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr Ambedkar, and many others—to flatter the Congress dynasty,” he wrote.

The Chettur Sankaran Nair Foundation, chaired by TKA Nair, former advisor to the Prime Minister’s office during the UPA regime, sought to refocus the narrative on Nair’s contributions. The foundation highlighted his role in the freedom struggle through constitutional means, distinct from Gandhian methods, and his progressive judicial legacy.

‘Don’t walk into trap’

“The BJP is attempting to force everyone into taking a binary position—either for or against celebrating Sankaran Nair. The claim that Sankaran Nair is being appropriated is exactly what the BJP wants. We must not walk blindly into that trap,” opines Dr TT Sreekumar, a social scientist.

“In this context, the debate around Sankaran Nair is increasingly being turned into a trap—one that places cultural nationalism above a genuine engagement with historical legacies. The need of the hour is to avoid falling into this trap. While acknowledging Chettur Sankaran Nair’s contributions, Congress, the Communist parties, and the forces of democratic civil society must also use this moment to articulate their differences with him clearly and confidently,” argues Sreekumar in a recent article.

Also read: Nilambur bypoll: High-stakes battle between LDF, UDF after Anvar's exit

Kesari Chapter 2 played a pivotal role in reigniting interest in Nair. Its depiction of his courtroom defiance moved audiences, with many in theatres applauding scenes of Nair’s refusal to bow to British pressure. However, some critics argued the film took creative liberties, glossing over Nair’s criticisms of Gandhi to present a more unified nationalist narrative.

Nair’s life—marked by his judicial reforms, his resignation over Jallianwala Bagh, and his legal battle in London—stood as a testament to a Keralite who challenged colonial power in his own way. The debate over his legacy, while divisive, underscored the enduring relevance of his story in a state grappling with its historical identity.