Capt Kerala Varma, the first from the royal family of Cochin to join the Indian Army to become a second lieutenant in the Cochin State Force (now 17 Madras), was court-martialled because of his alleged Communist leanings. His dismissal on April 11, 1949, was on the basis of a police verification report.

``I loved the Army and wanted to be in active service, in the war front. They had nothing against me except allegations of my Communist sympathies. I had done nothing anti-national. Yet I was kicked out unceremoniously. I suffered harassment, humiliation and loss of money. My anguish alone is worth lakhs but I am claiming just Re 1 as a token compensation and the legitimacy of retirement,'' his voice quivers and tears streak out of the faded eyes to course through the wrinkled cheeks.

Even afterhalf a century, Capt Kerala Varma remains a true soldier, in love with the Army and its uniform.

What irks Capt Kerala Varma, generally known as Thampuran, is the fact that though Communism is no discredited dogma now his virtual banishment is unrevoked. No Governmental reprieve came his way to redress the emotional outrage wrought on him or to invest legitimacy by restoring him back into the service as a token.

``They reinstated even murderers and criminals but refuse to reinstate me. I want no money, just the honour of the uniform,'' says Thampuran who is the patron of the National Ex-servicemen's Coordination Committee.

When the first Communist Ministry was formed in Kerala in 1957, the Government announced that the Government servants dismissed on police verification would be reinstated.

V R Krishna Iyer, who was then Home Minister, even instructed the Home Secretary to find him a berth in the Police Department. The then IG rejected it because he feared that Thampuran would be instrumental inCommunist indoctrination of the police. Today the police force is totally politicised, no thanks to Thampuran.

Two years ago, Kerala Varma was awarded the War Front medal and Independent Medal by 17 Madras as a mark of recognition of his service. There was no mention of his reinstatement or a possible pension. ``I want to be reinstated just as a token of my acceptance into the fold. I want no money, just Re 1 by way of compensation,'' he repeats. He has written to Chief Minister E K Nayanar reiterating his request. In the era of a resurrected Varghese will Kerala Varma's cry find an echo?