ON September 28, thousands gathered at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium to remember their beloved leader, Comrade Sitaram Yechury. Grief was evident on the sorrowful faces of those present, as the news of Comrade Yechury’s demise was still hard to accept.

The memorial began with four revolutionary songs performed by Jan Natya Manch and Parcham. Among these was Comrade Yechury’s favourite: "Tu zinda hai to zindagi ki jeet mein yaqeen kar, agar kahin hai swarg to utaar la zameen par" (If you are alive, believe in the victory of life; if heaven exists somewhere, bring it down to earth).

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat presided over the meeting. On stage were all members of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau, along with leaders from various Left, secular, and democratic parties, as well as many well-known public figures.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, with a heavy heart, moved the condolence resolution, followed by a minute of silence to pay tribute to the departed leader.

Prakash Karat then addressed the gathering, his voice filled with emotion as he reflected on his fifty-year-long relationship with Comrade Sitaram. He recalled that they had served together in the Polit Bureau for 32 years. Karat noted that as the editor of the Party’s official organ, People’s Democracy, Sitaram always ended the editorials with a call for building a better India. “Sitaram fought tirelessly for a better India until his last breath,” Karat concluded.

Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressed the memorial meeting and remembered Comrade Sitaram Yechury as a friend. He said, “Since the beginning of my political journey, I observed and understood him closely. Although he came from an ideologically opposing camp, he understood where we came from and gave us the space to understand his perspective as well. He was certainly a bridge between the Congress Party and the other parties in the INDIA bloc”. Gandhi continued, “Sitaram Yechury was a person who held both the INDIA alliance and, before that, the UPA coalition together.” He was also very clear in his stance on the BJP and RSS, stating that they were a danger to the country.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in his address said that Sitaram Yechury was a leader loved by all. His contribution to the INDIA alliance was immense. He also highlighted how, through Yechury's efforts, the MGNREGA scheme came into existence. He described Yechury as someone who believed in democracy and worked for the welfare of the poor.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, who came to the memorial in the midst of elections in Jammu and Kashmir, also addressed the gathering. He said that Sitaram Yechury was a person who always worked to keep India united and safe. “He would even meet his enemies with love”.

DMK MP Kanimozhi recalled Sitaram Yechury’s cooperation, contributions, and guidance during their time together in the Rajya Sabha. She also remembered the deep bond he shared with her father Karunanidhi, and recounted how, during the World Tamil Conference in Coimbatore, her father ensured Yechury’s presence so that people could hear his insightful views on language and culture.

Paying tribute to Comrade Sitaram, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan described him as a remarkable leader. He said that Yechury played a leading role in shaping the political and tactical direction of the Party in the changing national and international scenarios. He was extraordinarily well-read and proficient in multiple languages. His deep understanding of Indian history, society, culture, and political issues made him a valuable leader. Vijayan described Yechury as a ‘people's parliamentarian’ who consistently raised issues affecting the poor and the working class in parliament. “Yechury knew well that for Indian democracy’s survival, its secular and federal character must be preserved”.

CPI general secretary D Raja shared how Sitaram Yechury and he had worked together since their student days, through the formation of the UPA, the creation of its common minimum programme, and later on, in the coordination committee. He spoke of their efforts as the general secretaries of the two Left parties to strengthen Left unity. Quoting Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar, Raja said, “A person is always remembered for the legacy they leave behind”, and Yechury left behind a very rich legacy.

RJD leader and MP Manoj Jha was deeply emotional while addressing the memorial meeting. He recalled that after the elections, when they met, Yechury encouraged him by saying, “We may have lost the elections, but we haven’t lost our spirit”.

Samajwadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ramgopal Yadav recalled his personal relationship with Comrade Sitaram Yechury. He said that they used to sit together in the Rajya Sabha and highlighted Yechury’s remarkable ability to convince others of his point of view. He added that there is much to learn from communist leaders. He urged communists to never let their movement weaken. Yadav, who was older than Yechury, expressed sorrow, saying, “It’s unfortunate that today an elder has to pay tribute to someone younger”.

NCP (Sharad Pawar) national working president and Rajya Sabha MP Supriya Sule paid tribute to Comrade Sitaram Yechury. She said that while he remained ideologically steadfast, he always found solutions to issues where others got stuck. Whenever there was a complex problem, everyone thought of Sitaram Yechury.

AAP leader and minister in Delhi government, Gopal Rai recalled his association with Comrade Sitaram. He shared that during the time when Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, Yechury was the person who came to his mind. After meeting him, Yechury reassured Rai that they would fight and unite everyone, and indeed, he did unite everyone for the battle. Rai also read out Arvind Kejriwal’s condolence message during the memorial.

CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya addressed the gathering, expressing disbelief that Yechury’s smiling face was no longer among them. He reiterated Yechury’s belief that there is a war against the Indian Constitution, and to save it, they must fight together. He promised that they would continue to fight and move forward.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and MP Mahua Maji remembered Comrade Sitaram with respect and shared her experiences of working with him. She recalled how his encouragement supported her party’s struggles. On behalf of herself, her party, and its leaders, she paid tribute to the departed leader.

Manoj Bhattacharya, general secretary of the RSP, paid his tributes by recalling the role played by Comrade Sitaram in bringing all the Left parties together with the other secular forces in the struggle against the BJP and RSS.

Forward Bloc leader Devarajan spoke about how Yechury's writings inspired the Left during a time of despair after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and later exposed the ideology of Hindutva.

Renowned economist and former JNU professor Prabhat Patnaik reminisced about Yechury's days as an economics student at JNU. He mentioned that Yechury was a brilliant student in one of the early batches at JNU.

Veteran journalist and former editor of The Hindu N Ram addressed the gathering, recalling his fifty-year friendship with Yechury. He highlighted Yechury’s constant fight for freedom of expression and his resistance to attacks on the media.

Noted journalist and social activist Teesta Setalvad paid tribute by saying that while Yechury was alive, they always felt he was looking out for them. Referring to the 2002 Gujarat riots, she shared that Yechury was the first person to set foot in the volatile region, and demand justice.

The memorial meeting concluded with a pledge to carry forward the struggle for a better and just society as a tribute to the departed comrade.stakes...