‘Leading light:’ Praise pours in for Left icon
The 72-year-old Marxist leader, who was also the Rajya Sabha member from 2005 to 2017, passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi at 3.03 pm on Thursday
New Delhi: Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum on Thursday following the death of Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembering the veteran leader as a “leading light of the Left” and leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi describing him “a protector of the idea of India”.
The 72-year-old Marxist leader, who was also the Rajya Sabha member from 2005 to 2017, passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi at 3.03 pm on Thursday, after battling acute respiratory tract infection.
“It is with profound grief that we announce the passing away of CPI(M) general secretary, our beloved Comrade Sitaram Yechury, at 3.03 pm today, 12th September, at the AIIMS, New Delhi. He was suffering from a respiratory tract infection which developed complications,” the CPI(M) said in a post on X.
Leaders cutting across the party lines paid condolences and expressed grief over the demise of the fifth CPI(M) general secretary, popularly known as a soft-spoken leader with friends across the political spectrum.
“Saddened by the passing away of Shri Sitaram Yechury Ji. He was a leading light of the Left and was known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum. He also made a mark as an effective Parliamentarian,” PM Modi posted on X.
President Droupadi Murmu conveyed her heartfelt sympathy to his family and colleagues, describing Yechury as a “committed ideologue” who won friends across party lines.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi recalled the veteran communist as a “protector of the Idea of India with a deep understanding of our country”. Sharing a picture of himself with Yechury on X, the Lok Sabha leader of the Opposition added: “Sitaram Yechury ji was a friend. I will miss the long discussions we used to have. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and followers in this hour of grief.”
Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi said Yechury was fierce in his determination to protect India’s diversity and was a powerful champion of secularism, and noted that they had worked closely together during 2004-08 to begin with. “The friendship that had been established then continued till his very end,” she said in a statement.
The communist leader, who studied at St Stephen’s College and Jawaharlal Nehru University (INU) in Delhi, was a trusted ally of Sonia Gandhi during the Manmohan Singh-led coalition era of the UPA.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge described Yechury as a humble leader who balanced personal relationships with political ideologies. “An excellent parliamentarian and an outstanding intellectual, he served the people of India with pragmatism blended with idealism. It is a great loss for all the liberal forces. Our final salute to a friend and a compatriot of liberalism, the Indian polity shall deeply miss him,” Kharge said.
Popular among his friends as ‘Sita’, Yechury started his political journey with the Students’ Federation of India at JNU, before joining the CPI(M) and getting elected to the Central Committee of the party in 1984. He joined the Politburo in 1992 and became the fifth general secretary of the party in 2015, succeeding Prakash Karat.
Yechury’s family has donated his body to AIIMS for teaching and research purposes, the hospital said in a statement. His remains will be kept at the CPI(M) headquarters for few hours on Saturday for a public viewing.
“In the recent period, Sitaram Yechury devoted a lot of his time and energy towards forging a broad unity of the secular opposition parties, which took the shape of the INDIA bloc. In both the period of the United Front government and later the UPA government, Sitaram was one of the key interlocutors for the CPI(M), which was supporting these coalitions,” the CPI(M) Politburo said in its statement.
“Given his amiable temperament, he had a wide circle of friends across the political spectrum and in all walks of life. He was respected by all for his political integrity and commitment,” it added.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress has had a bitter rivalry with the Left, also expressed her grief. “I knew the veteran parliamentarian that he was and his demise will be a loss for the national politics,” she said.
BSP supremo Mayawati remembered Yechury as an “efficient parliamentarian” and a “friendly person”, while former prime minister HD Deve Gowda expressed his condolences on the passing away of his “long-time friend and colleague” and said “his dedication to his cause and to his party will always be remembered”.
Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK president MK Stalin said: “Comrade Yechury was a fearless leader whose commitment to justice was evident from a young age, as he courageously stood against the Emergency as a student leader. His dedication to the working class, secularism, social justice, equality, and progressive values shaped a distinguished career that will continue to inspire future generations.”
Former Delhi deputy CM and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia said: “He was a great leader, a true socialist and an extraordinary humanitarian. His demise is a great loss to our country’s politics.”
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said he was pained by the passing away of Yechury. “In his long years in public life, he distinguished himself as a seasoned parliamentarian known for his knowledge and articulation. He was also my friend with whom I had several interactions. I will always recall my interactions with him,” Singh said.