Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, condoling the death of Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, called him a powerful champion of secularism.
Expressing grief over the demise of the CPM leader, she said, “I am very saddened by the passing away of Sitaram Yechury ji. We had worked closely together during 2004-08 to begin with and the friendship that had been established then continued till his very end.”
Recalling her association with the veteran politician, Gandhi said, “He was uncompromising in his commitment to the values of our country’s Constitution embodied so very forcefully in its Preamble. He was fierce in his determination to protect India’s diversity and was a powerful champion of secularism. He was, of course, a life-long communist but that faith was anchored in democratic values.”
The CPP chairperson said Yechury’s 12-year stint in Parliament was memorable which left his indelible mark.
“He played a pivotal role in UPA-1 and more recently contributed enormously to the emergence of the INDIA group in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He will be sorely missed,” she added.
The 72-year-old veteran politician breathed his last at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, where he had been admitted since 19th August.