Nambadan holds true to style in new book

KOCHI: A personality unique in more ways than one, former minister Lonappan Nambaddan has always been known for his trademark sarcastic comments and unscathing attack on the Church and political leaders. Now, ‘Ningalude Swantham Nambadan’ (Yours Truly Nambadan), a new book by the veteran teacher-activist, including his articles and an interview by freelance writer P Prakash, has come out as another salvo aimed at the Church and at the political-class. The book was released at a function in Changampuzha Park, Edapally on Thursday.“The Church has alienated itself from Jesus Christ. Now, it is only an institution for profit making,” Nambadan says the in the book. “Nowadays, there are only 5-star churches. They build shopping complexes aimed at only money,” he says in an interview to freelance writer P Prakash, who was instrumental in bringing out the book.‘Ningalude Swantham Nambadan’ includes Nambadan’s six articles and interviews compiled by Prakash. Among the sharpest comments included in the book is one where Nambadan calls Jesus the world’s first communist, as He had organised the common people and the fisherfolk into a unit.Nambaddan also says that there was no clash between faith and communism. “My belief is in God and not in the Church. I do not see the bishops and the clergy as representatives of God. If there is heaven on this earth, then it is the abode of the clergy,” he says in the book.The book is full of anecdotes from the time Nambadan spent in the Assembly and as an active politician. He narrates an incident involving Congress leader T H Musthafa comparing him to a ‘goods auto’, which had reduced the entire Assembly to peals of laughter. There are many such incidents in the book that The narrative reveals the wit and no-holds-barred approach of the ace politician in the book.