THE struggles of Chennai working class and steering its affairs threw up dynamic and illustrious leaders who made memorable contributions to the nation’s freedom, integrity and welfare. Thiru Vi. Ka, Singaravelu Chettiar, Chakkarai Chettiar, Selvapathy Chettiar, Ramanujulu Naidu, A.S.K, P. Rammamurthy, P. Jeevanandham, V.P. Chinthan, T.R. Ganesan and Ma.Po.Si. are such gifts of Chennai’s working class dynamism in the first - half of 20^th century.

N. Ramakrishnan’s worthy biography rightly identifies veteran trade union and Left leader Late Comrade K.M. Hari Bhat as another such gift of the same force in the second half of the 20^th century.

The sleek volume, running to 116 pages, carrying a few precious photographs gives the reader glimpses into the simplicity of character of the politics of the 60s. The sketch of the late leader’s life points out that the ideology of the Left has the innate capacity to transform a mere fifth-class educated, poor hotel-worker into a polyglot and powerful leader of the masses capable of sending a chill down many an authoritarian spine. The most impressive pages of the biography dealing with Hari Bhat’s jail days as a MISA prisoner are very revleaing. The moment the identity of the new prisoner gets known in the dark inner recesses of the cell a cry of hope and reassurance emanates : "Hey, a communist has arrived; hereafter he will fight it out". The voice is that of M.R. Radha then an inmate.

Those words must have been an immense solace to Murosoli Maran and a host of other opposition leaders languishing in Madras central jail in inhuman conditions. It is to the credit of Hari Bhat and the working class he so loyally served till his last breath that the dreaded police and jail establishments feared and respected him at once. From that very moment of incarceration Hari Bhat became the spokesman of all the MISA prisoners and won for the DMK stalwarts bare necessities of life like soap and oil. What is more, he played a leading role in bringing to the notice of the outside world "the tears behind the bears". Hari Bhat in jail was the champion of the rights of the members of the DK, the DMK and the Congress (O).

Hari Bhat’s championing the cause of the DMK prisoners becomes poignant on two counts : one, he sternly refused the offer of Vidyasagar that all amenities would he extended to him and that he should not speak for the DMK prisoners: secondly, it was the DMK Government which awarded Hari Bhat solitary confinement in Trichy central jail for espousing the cause of MRF workers in 1972. Three years after, Hari Bhat was discharging his revolutionary duty towards his former tormentors without rage or rancour.

It is quite interesting to note that Hari Bhat was one of the earliest advocates of DMK - CPM electoral alliance in the 1967 elections, having quickly perceived that the working class needed reliable allies.

Particular mention must be made of Ramakrishnan’s interesting presentation of Hari Bhat entering into wedlock. A family friendly to the leaders of the CPI(M) came forward to give their daughter on two conditions: the groom should be a Keralite and that he should have on his hands decent work. The bride’s family was told that Hari Bhat could speak and write chaste Malayalam and that he was appearing in labour courts defending the interests of the workers ably. The marriage took place. Very soon the young wife found out that though Hari Bhat could speak Malayalam he was a Konkani and that she mistook him for a lawyer on the strength of his appearing in labour courts. But for Hari Bhat, a Telangana fighter, it was no big difficulty. With his friendly and loving presuasion he soon won here over wholly to the Party that meant everything to him.

One picture in the book shows former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi seated on a simple dais, along with others, on equal - sized, plain wooden chairs - a far cry indeed from the paraphernalia of the modern stages with their seating arrangements which proclaim ‘protocol’ and put the leaders literally in their places. Ramakrishnan’s work is sure to give a perceptive reader a longing for a return to the ethos of 60s. In the prevailing political context such biographies would assist in restoring real values.