Context: Recently a senior BJP leader and Kerela’s state education minister traded allegations over erstwhile Travancore Diwan Sir CP Ramaswamy Iyer.

CP Ramaswamy Iyer

• Sir Chetput Pattabhiraman Ramaswamy Iyer, popularly known as ‘Sir CP’, was the Diwan of the erstwhile Travancore princely state from 1936 to 1947.

• He also served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency from 1920 to 1923.

• He served as adviser to the Maharaja of Travancore Sri Chithira Thirunal, between 1931 and 1936.

Independent Travancore Mission

• When the Britishers gave choice to the Princely states to either join with India or Pakistan or remain independent, Thirunal, supported by Sir CP, declared his intention of forming an independent state of Travancore that would be open to the idea of signing a treaty with the Indian union.

• Sir CP proposed an ‘American model’ for Travancore.

• This led to his unpopularity among the regional communist parties.

• The anger and discontent among the communists led to the merger of socialist parties, creating a new radical communist party and culminated into an assassination attempt on Sir CP on July 25, 1947.

End of independent Travancore mission

• After surviving the assassination attempt, Sir CP agreed to the accession of Travancore state to the Indian Union, following which he resigned and left for London.

• On July 30, 1947, Travancore joined India.