Kerala BJP MP displays prosthetic limbs in parliament to condemn violent politics, sparks debate with CPM
Sadanandan stated his intention was to convey a message against violent politics, while Brittas accused him of intolerance and links to RSS violence against CPM workers, urging him to address violence within his own organisation first.
Sadanandan stated his intention was to convey a message against violent politics, while Brittas accused him of intolerance and links to RSS violence against CPM workers, urging him to address violence within his own organisation first.
Sadanandan stated his intention was to convey a message against violent politics, while Brittas accused him of intolerance and links to RSS violence against CPM workers, urging him to address violence within his own organisation first.
A heated debate broke out in the Rajya Sabha on Monday after BJP-nominated member C Sadanandan Master displayed his prosthetic limbs during his maiden address, prompting strong objections from CPM members and a point of order by Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas.
Sadanandan, a schoolteacher-turned-politician, made the gesture while opening the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. Referring to an attack that occurred more than three decades ago, which he attributed to CPM workers, he said the act was intended to highlight the persistence of political violence.
The move immediately drew protests from the Opposition benches, with Brittas objecting to the display of items inside the House. Following the intervention, the Chairman directed that the prosthetic limbs be removed.
Speaking to Onmanorama, Sadanandan said he acted with the intention of conveying a larger message against political violence. “This was my first speech in the Rajya Sabha, and I come from a personal background marked by political violence,” he said, adding that beginning his parliamentary journey through the debate on the President’s Address carried added responsibility.
“While speaking, I felt it was important to communicate a message to society against violent politics. That is why I briefly narrated my experience and placed my prosthetic limbs beside me in the House,” he said.
Sadanandan described the CPM’s response as predictable. “The reaction from John Brittas was expected. It reflects the intolerance CPM members often show when confronted with uncomfortable truths,” he said. Referring to alleged instances of political violence in Kerala, he added that such acts “have no place in a modern, civilised society” and said his party believed social pressure was necessary to prevent their recurrence.
However, he said he did not expect the matter to escalate to the extent it did. “When I took the oath as a Rajya Sabha member, the then Chairman, Jagdeep Dhankhar, had already referred to me as a victim of political violence. That is widely known. I believed that sharing my experience would be understood in that context,” he said.
John Brittas, however, said Sadanandan had violated parliamentary rules. “He entered the House and placed his prosthetic limbs on the table. Even after the Chairman directed him to remove them, he placed them again on his seat,” Brittas told Onmanorama. “He has been a member of the Upper House for some time and is well aware of the rules that prohibit the exhibition of objects.”
Brittas alleged that Sadanandan had been linked to several attacks against CPM workers and claimed that nearly 200 CPM cadres had been killed in Kerala, allegedly by the RSS. He further alleged that Sadanandan was named in a case involving an attack on a family member who was a CPM activist, and accused him of having justified the killing of SFI state leader Sudheesh.
“If he genuinely wants to speak against political violence, he should begin by addressing his own organisation, the RSS,” Brittas said. Referring to communal violence, he added, “The deaths of nearly 3,000 Muslims did not happen due to illness. They were the result of brutal violence. Instead of demonstrating prosthetic limbs in Parliament, he should first educate his organisation against violence.”
Sadanandan is a prominent figure in the BJP's Kerala unit. He gained national attention after surviving a brutal political attack in 1994, during a period of intense violence between the RSS and CPM in Kannur. The assailants, allegedly CPM workers, severed both his legs. At the time, he was serving as the RSS Boudhik Pramukh for Kannur.
Eight CPM workers were convicted by the Thalassery Sessions court and sentenced to seven years in prison in 1997. They challenged the verdict in the High Court, their plea was rejected. The CPM activists then appealed to the Supreme Court. The apex court did not admit the appeal, following which the High Court cancelled their bail and directed them to surrender. In August 2025, all eight convicts surrendered before the Kannur court and were moved to Kannur Central jail.