In the countryside of Kerala the flag is still flying. It flies to acknowledge the Communist government’s contribution to the lives of the people who till these rice paddies. In 1957 Keral in southern India was the first state in the world to democratically elect a communist government which has gone on to this day to hold power in coalition. This has resulted in the state having the highest literacy rate, the highest life expectancy and the lowest infant mortality. It is the most socially advanced state in India. For me the image of the flag honours that fact and shows the fertility of the land and the spirit of the people who till it.
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