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University of Calicut,
Edapally - Panvel Hwy, Thenhipalam,
Kerala 673635, India
M P Narayana Menon [1887-1966] was one of the most important Congress leaders in the Malabar region in the early 20th century. Since Menon identified and supported the progressive-radical potential in the Khilafat Committees against the British, he was often called Mapila Menon sarcastically.
He was also one of the founding members of the Kudiyan Sangham that worked with tenants and their rights in context of landlordism and feudal relations. He along with his associate, Kattilassery Muhammed Muslyar, a Muslim scholar and orator started working amongst the tenants in Ernad and Waluvanad taluks. He even won a case against the Zamorin in support of the tenants. Kudiyan Nivarana Sanghams were organised for grievance redressal of the tenants and attached to the Congress. He had integrated himself with the Mapila community that he used to preach about Tenants’ Rights from the Mosques. He used to even wear the traditional kaili and banyan which was popularly worn by the Mapila Muslims.
This irked many nationalist leaders who were not keen to raise the issue of Mapila tenants and the lower castes. Even though a Congress member, his initiatives amongst the tenants in Malabar was an inspiration to many socialists including to EMS, who regarded him as a guru.
He has played special role in mobilizing the Mapila Muslims under the nationalist cause. It is said that he along with Mapila leaders like Muhamad Abdu Rahman cautioned Gandhi about war cry prevalent amongst the muslim community, even while noting that Jihad has been waged against the colonisers starting with the Portugese. His prominence arose with the mass participation of tenants and Mapila Muslims in the Manjeri Conference, whereby overwhelmingly support was extended to the non-cooperation movement.
He served as the President of KPCC- Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee in 1934-35 period. It is believed that he must have been one of the Congress leader’s to have spent the most number of days in prison during the nationalist struggle. He spent a total 14 years of his life in jail, of which 12 years were on account of his support for the Malabar Rebellion. During those days, he advocated and fought for the rights of prisoners. In Vellore, EMS, Kamraj and many other nationalist leaders were in jail together. He held a deep commitment to the cause of hindu-muslim unity especially during the Malabar rebellion, and because of the leaderships’ commitment to the same, extended unflinching support to the Malabar Rebellion. Later on, he was again arrested in 1942 during the Quit India Movement and remained in jail till 1946.
He was born in 1887 near Perintalmana to Narayani Amma and Karunakara Menon. M P Narayana Menon died in 1966. he went to school at Ottapalam School and went onto study in Madras Presidency College and Madras Christian College. He studied law privately and practised in Perinthalmana Musiff Court. It is said that by 1919, he had become a full fledged political activist of the nationalist movement.
