Communist stalwart Comrade Sitaram Yechury breathes his last at AIIMS ICU. Prime minister Modi, Congress chief Kharge and top leaders express deepest condolences

The important pillar of CPM , General Secretary , 72 year old Sitaram Yechury is no more. He breathed his last in the ICU of All India Medical Sciences where he was admitted two days ago for acute respiratory tract infection. The news of the sudden death of the CPM stalwart Comrade Sitaram Yechury has send shock waves among the left fraternity, progressive leaders, thinkers, writers and rank and file of both the communist parties.

Sitaram Yechury who started his political career as a student leader was the president of Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union in 1974-75 having joined the Students Federation of India and was also jailed during emergency compelling the then chancellor of JNU Prime minister Indira Gandhi resign.

Prior to seeking admission in JNU Sitaram Yechury qualified as an economic graduate from prestigious St. Stephens College. In his fifty years of chequered political career Sitaram Ram Yechury was appointed as the general secretary of CPM after the tenure of Prakash Karat in 2015 and again got elected as general secretary in 2018 in Hyderabad followed by reelection for the third term in Kanaur, Kerala convention. Prior to this appointment he was the member of the highest decision making body of CPM called Polit bureau after being elected in 1992 in the fourteenth Congress finally becoming the general secretary of the party till his death. Having been the most trusted Leutienant of the then general secretary and veteran Communist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet Sitaram Yechury learnt all the political dao screw from him and became the stalwart of the left politics till his sad demise. Having played a vital role in opposition unity and formation of anti BJP governments including the fall of the Congress government under the prime ministership of Dr. Manmohan Singh CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury has been a fighter throughout his political journey never compromising on principles and always shrugging off communal politics and communal parties. Member of Rajya Sabha from Bengal from 2005 to 2017 Yechury is survived by his wife Seema Chisti Yechury, editor of The Wire, daughter Akhila and sin Danish. On Friday his body will be taken to his residence and then kept in the Central Committee office of CPM for leaders of Communist party , the INDI alliance , his friends, colleagues and rank and file to visit there and pay their heartfelt tributes. On Saturday after public viewing the body will be handed over to AIIMS.

The prime minister Narendra Modi while expressing his deepest condolences in the sad demise of Comrade Sitaram Yechury wrote on X : 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. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti. The Congress chief, veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge while expressing his condolences on the sudden demise of Comrade Sitam Ram Yechury said on X : My heartfelt condolences on the passing away of Comrade Sitaram Yechury ji. He was a humble leader who chartered the unique territory of balancing personal equations with unflinching political ideologies.

A 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, for he was the collective conscience keeper of progressives. Our final salute to a friend and a compatriot of liberalism, the Indian polity shall deeply miss him wrote PM Modi in X.

The Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a special condolence letter to the Communist leader’s wife the editor of The Wire Seema Chisti Yechury and wrote on X while expressing his deepest condolence on the Communist stalwart’s sad demise. He posted Yechury’s photo of his youthful days and write on X : My heartfelt condolences on the passing away of Comrade Sitaram Yechury ji. He was a humble leader who chartered the unique territory of balancing personal equations with unflinching political ideologies. A 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, for he was the collective conscience keeper of progressives. Our final salute to a friend and a compatriot of liberalism, the Indian polity shall deeply miss him wrote Mallikarjun Kharge on his social media handle X.

Meanwhile according to a press release of AIIMS honouring the wishes of Comrade Sitaram Yechury the family has donated his dead body to AIIMS for teaching and research purposes.

The senior most general secretary of Congress K.C Venugopal terming the death of Comrade Yechury his personal loss said on X in a lengthy condolence message : Deeply devastated by the news of Sitaram Yechury ji’s demise. It is not only a great loss for our nation, but a deeply personal one for me as well. Since the start of my parliamentary journey in 2009, Yechury ji was a close friend. His fierce resolve to oppose communal forces and his belief in a Congress-led opposition to safeguard India’s secular fabric were unmatched. He played a crucial role in shaping the INDIA front’s agenda, coordinating with opposition parties with remarkable skill and vision. In fact, his entire life was dedicated to public service, safeguarding democracy, and achieving social and economic justice. He has left behind a void too big to fill and we will sorely miss him. May his soul rest in peace.

Senior Journalist Hridayesh Joshi write on X that speciality of Sitaram Yechury was – he could speak Telugu, Hindi, English, Bengali and Punjabi languages ​​very easily. He used to sit with his colleagues from different states and communicate together. Once he told journalists in an informal conversation that Jyoti Babu (Jyoti Basu) jokingly tells me that you are a very dangerous man. But Sitaram was popular among all… even among people with opposite ideologies write JoshOn religion Sitaram Yechuri said that he has full respect for religion but remembering or respecting the Almighty is a pious connection between a soul and God. It’s entirely a thing of personal belief between one’ s soul and the God. A one to one connection. There is a line between religious belief and politics. To offer prayers to God by a Hindu, a Muslim, a Sikh , a Buddhist, Christian or Parsi is entirely a matter of personal faith and exclusively a personal thing. It should not be used for meeting political ends or deriving political benefit . Therefore we are not attending the inauguration of Ram Temple consecration. It’s is purely meant to derive political vested interests. I have full respect for all religions but not if used for vested political gains said Yechury when he was asked as to why they are not participating in the consecration ceremony of Ram Temple.

While expressing his grief in the sad demise of the leading communist leader and CPM general secretary former President of Press Club of India Umakant Lakhera said the untimely demise of Comrade Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary CPI (M) is an irreparable loss to the country. He was counted among the front row fighters, serious, studious, polite and powerful speakers in the country. At this critical juncture, when the country and the opposition needed him the most, they parted ways forever. He was considered to be the most energetic, extremely polite, intelligent and thoughtful leader among the new generation of Marxists born in the country after independence. Due to his deep understanding of India’s foreign policy and world diplomacy, he was very popular in the countries of the world.