Yechury helped build INDIA bloc and held it together, say leaders

Political leaders and intellectuals gather to mourn the death of CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, praising his contributions to Opposition unity

Leaders from various political parties, academics, intellectuals and people from all walks of life met at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday (September 28, 2024) to mourn the death of CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.

The condolence meeting, organised by the party, saw INDIA bloc leaders hailing the contributions of Mr. Yechury in building a formidable alliance against the ruling BJP-led NDA.

In an emotional speech, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said Mr. Yechury was a friend who did not have the characteristic “traits of politicians”.

“He was a bridge between the Congress party and other parties in the INDIA alliance,” he said. “He held the architecture [of the INDIA bloc and the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance] together because he was flexible, because he listened and he didn’t have the common traits that a lot of politicians have — anger, aggression, arrogance... these things were missing, and this is rare in our work,” Mr. Gandhi said.

Mr. Gandhi said he had called Mr. Yechury when his son passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I just didn’t know what to say, and I was silent, because what he was going through was probably the hardest moment of his life. But I met him a few days later, and the tough and brave Mr. Yechury was back,” Mr. Gandhi said. He did not make compromises and worked in the interest of the country, Mr. Gandhi said.

‘Relentless work’

Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said Mr. Yechury worked hard to build bridges between several Opposition parties and form the INDIA bloc. Mr. Kharge said Mr. Yechury played a crucial role in the process, and as a result, the ruling party failed to get a majority. “Now, this is a minority government. They are unable to bring the bad laws they wanted to pass in Parliament,” Mr. Kharge said, crediting Yechury’s relentless efforts for the strength of the INDIA bloc.

The condolence resolution, read out by veteran CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, listed the efforts taken by Mr. Yechury in building a students’ movement in the 1970s and his contributions to the ideological and organisational spheres of the Left stream in the country. She said in the resolution that he had an important role to give guidance to the Left by presenting an ideological resolution in 1992 after the collapse of the USSR. She added that since the formation of the Narendra Modi government, Mr. Yechury came out as a soldier to protect the secular and democratic values of the country.

Chairing the meeting, former CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said his association with Mr. Yechury started 50 years ago and his death was a big jolt not just to the CPI(M) but to the secular and democratic forces too. “He was a staunch believer in Marxian ideology, and his capacity to implement it in society made him an ideologue of the party soon after his joining the CPI(M). He analysed the Hindutva communalism too on the basis of Marxian ideology and exposed them,” he said.

Former Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu N. Ram said Mr. Yechury was brilliant, charismatic and amiable. He said Mr. Yechury’s life was a model of integrity, commitment, sacrifice, deep ideological and political anchoring, and fortitude. Mr. Ram added that Yechury was devoted to the cause of freedom of speech and expression, in particular the media freedom, and to the fight to defend the secular and democratic character of the Republic.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, DMK MP Kanimozhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Jha, NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)’s Mahua Maji, AAP’s Gopal Rai, CPI general secretary D. Raja, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, RSP general secretary Manoj Bhattacharya, All India Forward Bloc general secretary G. Devarajan, economist Prabhat Patnaik and activist Teesta Setalvad addressed the gathering.

Published - September 28, 2024 11:01 pm IST