THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A modest house at Vazhapally situated north of Changanassery by the side of the MC Road has been in the news now and then for more than two decades. The Perunna headquarters of the Nair Service Society (NSS) and the Vazhapally home of P K Narayana Panicker were a beehive of activities on various counts till recently, as his words had a strength derived from a conviction and also sent a message.Panicker was looked upon by the mainstream political parties in the state, especially in the UDF fold, as a refuge to elicit a nod in their favour which meant a lot politically, as the famed equi-distance policy of the NSS remained a multi-pronged weapon. His steadfastness in successfully leading a legal fight on the creamy layer issue for more than a decade is as important as the political stance, which kept the NSS going. A down to earth person who had submitted himself to the cause of society and championed the rights of his community with prudence and unmatched zeal, Panicker Chettan or Panicker Sir to one and all, was unassuming and led a simple life. Ever since he dumped his flourishing practice as a lawyer in the Changanassery courts and the Kottayam District Court in the early seventies, Panicker had a different course in life. Even when courting criticism in the name of the organisation, none attacked him on a personal level or questioned his secular credentials.He maintained a cordial and warm relationship with the Christian and Muslim leaders in the state.
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