Cultural activists should oppose attempts by communal and casteist forces to bring back superstitions and regressive rituals, Minister for Culture A.K. Balan has said. He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for a memorial for the late poet N.N. Kakkad at Avitanallur in Kottur grama panchayat on Monday.

The Minister recalled that Kakkad had written many poems criticizing the anti-democratic practices in the 70s. The writer’s wife Sreedevi Kakkad said he was inspired by his village, its lush paddy fields, and the rustic alleys. The government has allocated ₹75 lakh for the memorial to be constructed on a 20-cent plot, which will also have a study and research centre. It will have a digital library, cultural centre, and a reading room.