16 SOCIAL SCIENTIST ' units in Chirakkal taluk, it was found that 5 big landlords owned 27.6 per cent of the total cultivated area. Among these landlords were the Chirakkal Raja, Kuru-mathur Namboodiripad, Karakathidathil Nambiar and the Kalliat Nambiar. 10 Report of the Malabar Tenancy Committee, 1940, vol II (Evidence) Government Press, Madras 1940. pp 281-282 and also Government of Madras, Home (1939) Department, G 0 no. 3903, dated 18-7-1939 (Confidential). n Prabhatham, 10 October 1938. 12 Prabhatham, 28 November *4938. 13 A K Podvual, Keralathile Karshaka Prasthanathinte Oru Laghucharithram (A Short History of the Peasant Movement in Kerala), Trivandrum 1962, p 46. 14 Government of Madras, Home(1939), G 0 no. 3903 dated 18-7-1939 (Confidential) gives details of Vishnu Bharateeyan's case. The Home Minister was for his release but the district authorities successfully blocked the move. 15 Prabhatham, 30 January 1939. An analysis of the list of prisoners convicted in the peasant agitation as given in Home Ministry, G 0 no. 3902, shows that the cases pertained mainly to social boycott and prevention of agricultural labour being hired by landlords. ^ Fortnightly Reports, File no. 18/8/38-PoIl. 17 Fortnightly Reports, File no. 18/11/38-Poll. 18 Fortnightly Reports, File no. 18/12/38-Poll. 19 Government of Madras, Home (1939) Dept., G 0 no. 3848, dated 15-7-1939 and GOno. 6107 dated 25-11-1939. 20 Fortnightly Reports, File no. 18/1/39-Poll. 21 Fortnightly Reports, File no. 18/2/39-Poll. 22 Prabhatham, 30 January 1939. 23 Interview, M K Kelu, April 1973. 24 K Keraleeyan, "For Change in Malabar Tenancy Act", Prabhatham, 24 October 1938. 2r> Prabhatham, ibid. ^ Prabhatham, ibid. 27 Prabhatham, ibid. 28 Prabhatham, 31 October 1938. 29 Prabhatham ,26 December 1938 gives a detailed report of the conference. 30 Mathrubhumi, 27 October 1939 and 5 December 1939. 31 Report of the Malabar Tenancy Commitee, 1940, op. cit. 82 It is interesting to note that the Madras government considered suppressing the dissenting minutes of the three leftists and then gave up the idea as impractical. See Government of Madras, Revenue Department, G 0 no. 3112-3 dated 13-12-1940. 33 GOno. 3112-3, ibid. 34 Prabhatham, 10 and 17 October 1938 and 14 November 1938 for setting up of new pradesh sanghams. For Vengara meeting, Prabhatham, 24 October 1938. 35 Prabhatham, 14 November 1938. 86 Prabhatham, 10 April 1939 gives membership figures of states as registered at the All India Kisan Sabha office. Travancore had a separate membership of 2500. 37 Prabhatham, 29 May 1939. 38 Prabhatham, 20 February 1939. 39 Government of Madras, Revenue Department, G 0 no. 2108 dated 2-9-1940. 40 Government of Madras, Public (Genl.) Department, GO no. 811-12 (Confidential) dated 24-4-1941. 41 Government of Madras, Revenue (1940) Department, G 0 no. 2108, op.cit. The collector, a Malayalee, M K Vellodi, charged the Karshaka Sangham for resorting to violent activities under the cover of the Congress and stated that the Congress ministry had nothing to do with their activities.