Several leaders of I.N.D.I.A Bloc including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi paid tribute to veteran CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury who passed away recently during a prayer meet organised in New Delhi on Saturday. After battling a respiratory infection, Yechury passed away on September 21 at AIIMS Delhi, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Indian politics. Reflecting on Yechury's unwavering commitment to the nation, Rahul Gandhi emphasised that his actions were always driven by what was best for India.
"He was someone you could trust, someone you knew without a doubt was uncompromised, especially in today’s political climate. Whatever he did, it was always with the country's welfare in mind. While his political ideology may have differed, India was always his starting point," Gandhi remarked, as per ANI.
Gandhi, speaking about their personal rapport, highlighted Yechury's flexibility in the political landscape. "For me, Sitaram Yechury was a friend who navigated the political system with grace. Politics often brings out the worst in people, but he was different. Despite being on the opposite end of the ideological spectrum, he remained grounded and principled. He was also very close to my mother, perhaps even more so than to me," Gandhi added.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also paid homage, underscoring Yechury’s contributions to the I.N.D.I.A. bloc and his staunch belief in parliamentary democracy. “Sitaram ji was a strong advocate for equality and believed in the power of democracy. He often called me ‘comrade,’ and I’ll always remember him with respect,” Kharge stated.
CPI General Secretary D Raja remembered Sitaram Yechury as an 'outstanding' Communist leader in the contemporary history of India. "His demise is not just lost for CPI-M, but for the entire communist moment and communist family, and it is a loss for the country as a whole," he said.
DMK MP Kanimozhi said, "That's how he lived his life, as a fearless person. He started his career as an activist, as a person who rebelled against anything he thought was wrong from his student days until very last of his days, and he always stood by those principles."
Stating that she and Kanimozhi entered the Parliament at the same, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said, "The leader that we (Kanimozhi and her) looked up to was comrade Sitaram Yechury. He had complete clarity of thought, mind, speech and ideology. Many people say that today ideology is no longer there. I believe that Sitaram Yechury and every worker of CPI(M) have kept ideology alive. This is important for a strong democracy.”