Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-54
J.E. Chacko
J.E. Chacko, a significant figure in political activism, was born on July 25, 1925, in Jeerakath House, a branch of the Kuruvinal Chothirikkunnell family. His father’s name was Avira, and his mother was Rosamma, a member of the Kadannadpalli parish Chirappu Ratthel family. His father Avira was involved in business in various places such as Palai, Paikayil, Koratti, and Erumeli.
When Chacko was 2 years old, his father purchased some land in Uruvikkunnu and moved the family there. Chacko received his early education at the Vilakkumadom Karmaleethamath School. He then studied at Chengalam St. Anthony’s Malayalam School and Manalungkal St. Aloysius U.P. School. After passing the Third Form from Manalungkal School, Chacko completed his high school education at Mannanam St. Ephrem’s High School.
During his time at Chengalam School, the independence movement was very active, and Chacko often faced reprimands from teachers for his participation. He lived in the boarding school at Mannanam, where the guidance and advice of the respected clergy greatly contributed to his success. Following the advice of the clergy at Mannanam, Chacko joined the Thiruvalla Sacred Heart College, where he continued his studies in the hostel. After obtaining a B.A. in Economics, he joined Ernakulam Law College and completed his legal studies in 1953.
During his college years, Chacko received numerous awards for public speaking and acting. He was also skilled in basketball and football. While studying at Thiruvalla College, Sir C.P. Ramaswami Iyer, the Dewan of Travancore, visited for the inauguration of a private school. In response to Sir C.P.’s policies against Christians in Travancore, students, including Chacko, protested and showed black flags. Chacko and his fellow students, who later became ministers, actively participated in these protests, resulting in serious injuries from police baton charges.
While studying at Thiruvalla, Chacko would secretly bring newspapers and pamphlets about the freedom struggle to his hometown and distribute them to others. On one occasion, police caught Chacko with these materials, questioned him, and subjected him to physical assault. During his college days, he received a Congress membership from Mr. R.V. Thomas at a secret center in Palai, where Professor K.M. Chandy was also present.
After India’s independence, Chacko worked tirelessly to help P.T. Chacko win the election to the Constituent Assembly from the Kottayam Parliament constituency. In 1953, he married Katharina, the eldest daughter of Alexander and Theramma Pattar in Muhamma. He was enrolled as an advocate on June 21, 1955. Adv. General S. Narayanan Potti introduced him to the Chief Justice. Following Potti’s advice, Chacko began practicing law as a junior under Muluveli Neelakantan Pillai at the Kanjirappally Munsiff Court. Later, he shifted his practice to Kottayam and, in 1956, moved to Palai Sub Court as per P.T. Chacko’s recommendation.
Alongside his legal career, Chacko was an active Congress worker. In 1957, he was elected from the Meenachil Legislative Assembly constituency in the KPCC elections. Despite being offered a bribe of a thousand rupees to withdraw from the election, Chacko refused. He actively participated in the 1957 Mundasseri educational program protests and the liberation struggle, which led to his arrest and two weeks’ imprisonment in Kottayam. Following the elections, P.T. Chacko became the Home Minister and appointed J.E. Chacko as the Government Pleader at the Palai Court.
In 1964, Chacko resigned from the position of Government Pleader and, in response to the disregard shown by Congress, helped form the Kerala Congress political party along with leaders like Mathachan Kuruvinal, K.M. George, Cheriyan Kappan, and E. John Jacob. In the 1965 elections, he won the Akalakkunnam constituency by a large majority. Due to the imposition of Presidential rule in Kerala and the formation of a seven-party coalition government, Chacko won a seat in the Kerala Congress. Following the collapse of the seven-party ministry, Chacko won the 1970 elections with a significant majority.
However, during the 1976 reorganization of legislative constituencies, efforts were made to eliminate the Akalakkunnam constituency. Chacko, who had a large majority in the Elikkulam Panchayat, Kanjirappally constituency, and Kottayam constituency, saw his constituency dissolved. Over a decade as an MLA, he visited all states in India and participated in legislative committee and parliamentary committee meetings. He was a member of several select committees, including those related to the Kerala Cooperative Act, and often served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and Public Undertakings Committee.
When the founding leaders of the Kerala Congress, Mathachan Kuruvinal and E. John Jacob, were suspended, Chacko played a crucial role in forming the Original Kerala Congress party. In 1977, this party merged with the Congress. Following further dissatisfaction with Congress, the Original Kerala Congress members resigned from the party, and Chacko retired from politics to continue his legal career.
In 1977, while serving as an MLA, Chacko attended the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Hyderabad and secured permission to establish the Mercy Hospital, founded by Italian nuns, in Chengalam. In 1982, he contested against Mr. K.M. Manickam as an independent candidate supported by the Left in the Pala constituency but was narrowly defeated. Subsequently, he continued to be active in cooperative circles and served multiple terms as President of the Pala Milk Society and as a board member of the Pala Marketing Society. He also served as a legal advisor to various cooperative institutions, including the Meenachil Agricultural Development Bank and Poovoorani Cooperative Bank.
Chacko received the award for Best Cooperative Worker in the Meenachil Taluk in 2000 and the Cooperative Circle Union Award in 2001. He completed 50 years in legal practice on June 21, 2005, and celebrated the golden jubilee of his legal career under the auspices of the Pala Urban Association, receiving an award from High Court Judge C.N. Ramachandran Nair. His junior lawyers presented him with a memento. In 2001, he also celebrated the golden jubilee of his marriage.
J.E. Chacko is the grandson of the late Mar Paulinos Jeerakath, a former Bishop of Jagadalpur.
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