Hyderabad, 26 September: Several speakers expressed that the physical departure of CPI(M) National General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury, a giant of the Marxist party and the voice of the poor, is an irreparable loss not only for the left parties but also for those who care about the welfare of the nation. A condolence meeting for the recently deceased Sitaram Yechury was held under the auspices of the CPI State Committee on Tuesday at the AITUC office in Hyderabad.
Speaking at the event were TPCC President and MLA B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, CPI National Secretary and former MP Syed Aziz Pasha, CPI State Secretary and MLA Koonamneni Sambasiva Rao, CPI(M) State Secretariat Member D.G. Narasimha Rao, CPI National Executive Members Pashya Padma, Vanaja, and former MLC P.J. Chandrasekhar from the CPI Andhra Pradesh State Secretariat, among others. The meeting was presided over by CPI State Assistant Secretary N. Balamallesh.
During the event, Mahesh Kumar Goud praised Yechury as an ideal figure in contemporary politics, noting that his rise from an ordinary worker to the CPI(M) National General Secretary was no ordinary achievement. He lauded Yechury as a valiant leader who, from his student movement days, imbibed communist ideologies and fought for his beliefs until his last breath. He played an active role in revolutionary struggles across the country, particularly in the formation of the UPA government in 2004 and the drafting of the Common Minimum Programme. Goud remarked that before and after independence, only two parties stood tall: Congress and the Communist Party. He criticized the BJP for dividing people along religious, caste, and regional lines and ascending to power without contributing to the freedom movement or public struggles. Yechury’s relentless fight against communal forces was commendable, and in these challenging times, losing such a secular leader is tragic.
Syed Aziz Pasha praised Yechury as a visionary political leader, deeply concerned for the country and its people. He recalled how, as a student leader, Yechury courageously stood up to then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, demanding her resignation as the Chancellor of JNU. The death of such a great leader is a significant loss to Indian politics, he remarked.
Koonamneni Sambasiva Rao highlighted that Yechury was not just a leader of the CPI(M) but of all communist parties, which is why his death has resonated across the country. He further stated that Yechury was an international leader, instrumental in the Nepal Communist Party’s rise to power. Rao emphasized that all red flags in India should unite, and all communist parties should merge into one for the communists to gain power in the future, or else they will be the next target of the central government, after the Maoists.
D.G. Narasimha Rao noted that in his 55 years of political life, Yechury was never intimidated or disheartened. His ability to study every issue, make clear and decisive statements, and even convince opponents through his eloquence was his unique quality. P.J. Chandrasekhar Rao recalled that Yechury had warned about the introduction of the GST in India, saying that no country in the world had implemented such a system and that it would only hang a sword over the necks of the poor without their knowledge.
Pashya Padma called for walking the path of Yechury to achieve the ideals set by such great leaders. In his presidential address, N. Balamallesh praised Yechury as a great leader who led many public movements from the forefront. Earlier, the speakers unveiled a biography of Sitaram Yechury. CPI State Executive Members N. Jyoti, D.G. Sail Goud, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, and Muneer Patel also participated in the event.
