From Belief to Atheism and Communism: Binoy Viswam Reflects on His Journey

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Monday reflected on his journey from a deeply religious childhood to atheism and eventually to communism, recalling how reading and early life experiences shaped his political consciousness.

Speaking at the KLIBF Dialogues session of the International Book Festival at the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Binoy Viswam was in conversation with journalist Arya P Nair on the topic “The Politics of Reading and the Reading of Politics.”

Recalling his early years, Viswam said he grew up as a devout believer, regularly bathing in the temple pond, visiting the shrine, chanting hymns alongside his grandmother, and listening to stories from the Mahabharata.

"Until the sixth standard, I was a believer. By the seventh standard, I began to change gradually and became a non-believer. Reading played a major role in that transformation,' he said.

He noted that reading helped him discover new worlds and new ideas, shaping his understanding of society and philosophy. “I have no hesitation in saying that I am a materialist. I openly state at any religious gathering that I am not a believer. But even after giving up faith in God, I have never viewed believers as enemies,” he said.

Binoy Viswam also recalled the sacrifices made by his father, C K Viswanathan, for the cause of the oppressed. He said his father endured police brutality and spent years in hiding for standing up for what he believed was right.

“As a child, I understood that he suffered for a just cause. The desire to stand with that truth is what drew me closer to the communist movement,” he said.

He added that the first seeds of this sense of justice were sown in his mind by his grandmother. With growing political awareness, he later decided not only to stand for that truth but also to fight for it and bring others into the struggle.

Responding to a question on the source of his courage to remain firm in his positions despite adversities, Viswam said it stemmed from conviction. “Standing firmly by one’s position is a moral strength. It should not be diluted,” he said.

“I am not a great man, but I am a person with conviction. I have a clear understanding of communist ideology,” he added.

He further alleged that contemporary history is being distorted under centralised authority, moving far away from the truth. “The politics of reading is being consciously altered,” he said.

Describing himself as a political activist rather than a politician, Binoy Viswam said the erosion of values in politics today was due to activists being subordinated by politicians. “Only when politics is reclaimed by activism can this situation change,” he added.