COMRADE Sitaram Yechury passed away on September 12, 2024, at AIIMS, New Delhi. It is still very difficult to reconcile with this shocking happening. His untimely demise is a great loss, not only to the country and the communist movement, but also to the broader movement of toiling people.

This piece is not intended to evaluate the contributions of Comrade Sitaram or the leading role he played in people's movements and national politics – that is a collective task. Rather, I am venturing to share a few memories of my long association with him and my engagement in the political and ideological exercises we undertook together, which are of immense personal significance to me and to the movement I am a part of. I consider this my homage to a great leader.

For almost four decades, I had the unforgettable privilege of a close personal association with Comrade Sitaram throughout my political life. I was always both captivated and greatly enriched by the experience of working alongside him, especially through our many interactions on various subjects and issues, whether related to political, organisational, or movemental needs – or even matters beyond the boundaries of politics.

Our discussions, whether in collective Party forums or in one-on-one conversations, often became vibrant and intense debates. Sometimes we disagreed, but I must say these debates were a great source of personal learning for me. They helped me develop and articulate my own independent views and positions on a wide range of issues – politics, economic policy, social matters, and an overall philosophical understanding grounded in Marxist-Leninist ideology.

His intellectual erudition, vast and encompassing the entire realm of knowledge, combined with his sharp intellectual brilliance, allowed him to play a remarkable role in the communist movement of his time.

I particularly recall the scientific and dialectical articulation with which he interpreted and explained the problems and issues arising from the various twists and turns in the national political situation, as well as in the movements and organisational exercises. His skill in articulating the workings of the entire capitalist system and neoliberalism – deeply mired in systemic crisis – was astounding. He keenly observed how this crisis reflected in political governance, especially in the form of increasing and aggressive authoritarianism that gradually moved toward a fascistic direction, particularly during the post-2014 regime.

Starting from the 1990s, many of his speeches, interventions, and writings, when studied sequentially, reveal his consistent critique of the gradual exposure of the bankruptcy of the neoliberal order, along with its increasingly authoritarian impact on people's lives.

I also recall how he analysed in concrete terms the deepening systemic crisis of the neoliberal capitalist order, which, since 2014, aggressively pushed forward communal and divisive machinations from the seats of governance, although the trend had been set much earlier. Comrade Sitaram's interventions were always marked by such a comprehensive analysis, guiding us with clarity and depth.

He vividly articulated the aggressive exercise of authoritarianism in economic management and political governance, alongside the poisonous divisive machinations within society – all functioning as a single, comprehensive project of exploitative governance. He showed how this project, with an authoritarian overtone, brought the Constitution, democratic institutions, progressive values, and the unity of the people under severe attack. This entire phenomenon, he argued, was a process engineered by the corporate class – the capitalist class itself – through their servile agents in political governance. His interventions and writings expressed these realities with remarkable lucidity.

The remarkable role he played as our Party leader, and my long association with him in his pursuit of that leading role, has always been an exceptional source of learning for me. It helped me play a more effective role in the people's movement in general, and the working-class movement in particular.

He was recognised as one of the frontline theoreticians and ideologues of the Party. He contributed immensely to formulating ideological resolutions, especially during the turbulent period following the setback of socialism in the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries, where he firmly defended Marxism-Leninism and scientific socialism. His active contributions in this field began well before the collapse of the Soviet Union, with his sharp critique of Euro-communism and the Glasnost-Perestroika syndrome. These critiques served as a prelude to his contributions to the Party's ideological resolutions, which earned distinction in the international Communist movement as well.

He played a significant role on behalf of the Party in responding to dynamic developments in national politics, working to shape a coalition of political parties against the BJP-led communal-authoritarian governance. His role in the formation of the INDIA bloc, in the lead-up to the 18th General Elections, has already been widely recognised across the political spectrum.

In addition to his sharp acumen in exposing the cronyism of the corporate-communal nexus in governance, he made important contributions in revealing the real face of the communal machinations within society, orchestrated by the Hindutva forces under the RSS. His prolific writings and analyses on this subject have remained a source of education for the entire Party in its fight against this poisonous menace. Notably, his critique of RSS chief Golwalkar's booklet We or Our Nationhood Defined (1939) received wide appreciation far beyond our Party's circles, resonating deeply within the broader progressive intellectual circles.

I must particularly mention my personal association with him during my 11 years as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2017. His entire political life – starting from his involvement in the militant student movement and extending to his active role in various people's movements – along with his significant contributions to ideological exercises and formulations in the midst of a rapidly changing socio-economic and political scenario (both nationally and globally, following the setback of the Soviet Union and other socialist regimes) found brilliant expression in his sharp parliamentary interventions. His contributions in debates covered almost every subject, and were marked by his intellectual erudition and rich experience gained through his active involvement in the struggles of the working class and other toiling people.

Comrade Sitaram’s interventions in parliament reached such a distinct level of intellectual rigor that they continued to serve as a source of knowledge and inspiration for all those engaged in Left and progressive movements fighting for a pro-people, sustainable alternative. His contributions earned respect and recognition across the political spectrum, culminating in his recognition as ‘Parliamentarian of the Year’ in 2016.

For example, in a short-duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on July 27, 2016, he assertively argued that inflation and price rises do not just happen – they are deliberately orchestrated by the capitalist class to transfer the burden of the systemic crisis onto the common masses. This assertion exposed the inefficacy of the capitalist order in sustainably addressing the problems of the people and society. In that speech, Comrade Sitaram highlighted the issue of excessive excise duties on petroleum products used to boost central government revenue, the promotion of speculative forward and futures trading of essential commodities, and he called for immediate corrective measures to counter these distortions, which prioritised profits over people's fundamental need for a humane living.

There are many examples of his interventions in parliament, which consistently presented the comprehensive vision of a communist leader, grounded in philosophical, political, and ideological accuracy. His vast knowledge and deep understanding of the dynamism of historical, socio-economic, and political developments were always reflected in his contributions to parliamentary debates. These debates spanned a wide range of subjects, including economics, politics, social issues, and the broader realm of philosophy and history.

We can also recall his interventions against the infamous Electoral Bond scheme, where he stood firm despite the opportunistic vacillations of members from other political parties in the opposition (with the exception of the Left). His contributions to debates on constitutional values, particularly during the Constitution Day session and the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement, are just a few examples of his brilliant and forthright articulation of the Left’s scientific vision on these issues.

Comrade Sitaram was a staunch defender of Marxism in parliament. His speeches and interventions are exemplary testimonies to the vigorous defense of Marx’s continuing relevance, particularly in light of the ongoing systemic crisis of capitalism and its perverse reflections in political governance and societal matters.

His passing away leaves an immense void in the Left and progressive movements in the country. Comrade Sitaram’s legacy of determined resistance against neoliberalism and communalism must continue with even greater vigour by strengthening the collective functioning of the entire communist and Left-democratic movement.

Comrade Sitaram Yechury, Red Salute!