Categories: News/City Updates

Sitaram Yechury’s CPI(M) leadership began Visakhapatnam, and his legacy endures

Veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury passed away on 12 September 2024, at the age of 72. He had been receiving treatment for a severe respiratory infection at AIIMS in New Delhi.

The CPI(M) made the announcement on X, saying, “It is with profound grief that we announce the passing away of CPI(M) General Secretary, our beloved Comrade Sitaram Yechury, at 3:03 pm today, 12th September, at the AIIMS, New Delhi.”

The nation has been mourning the versatile, pragmatic leader, who was well-known for his strong, articulate stances, his affinity for coalition politics, and his good sense of humour. Being the fifth General Secretary of CPI(M), Sitaram first assumed leadership of the party back on 19 April 2015 in Visakhapatnam, during the party’s 21st Congress.

His election at this historic gathering in Vizag marked the beginning of his role at a time when the Leftist party was in decline.

Upon taking the helm, Yechury identified the pressing challenges that lay ahead for the party—strengthening the Left forces and uniting democratic movements across the country. He emphasized the importance of continuing the fight against the economic policies that burdened the people, as well as the communal ideologies that sought to divide the nation.

In his inaugural speech, Sitaram Yechury laid out his vision: “This is the congress of future, the future of our party and our country. Our task is to strengthen the unity of Left and democratic forces. The unmistakable conclusion of this congress is that the crisis of capitalism continues to deepen worldwide. There is no alternative except to strengthen the struggle for socialism. If there is any future for human civilization, that future lies in socialism.”

Yechury’s connection to Visakhapatnam went beyond political leadership. He was a strong advocate for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), opposing its privatization at every step. His commitment to public sector undertakings (PSUs) like VSP was rooted in his belief that these entities were not just economic assets but represented the wealth of the nation, serving the people.

In an interview with The Hindu, he said, “We have been against the privatization of any PSU, and the same holds true for the VSP.” He further emphasised CPI(M)’s commitment by pointing to the fact that over 50 MPs from the Left parties had resigned in the late 1960s and 1970s during the ‘Visakha Ukku – Andhrula Hakku’ agitation.

Just last year, he participated in a public meeting organized by CPI(M) and CITU to support the ongoing agitation against VSP’s privatization. He outlined his vision for saving the plant: “The Union government needs to take three simple steps: allot coal and iron ore, improve logistics for supply, and convert the accumulated interest on loans into equity. Once these steps are taken, VSP’s blast furnaces will operate at 100% efficiency, and the plant will bounce back, especially with global steel prices skyrocketing.”

Born to a Telugu family in Madras, ,Sitaram Yechury’s parents were natives of Kakinada. He himself is fluent in Telugu.

Sitaram Yechury’s legacy as a leader is interwoven into the fabric of Visakhapatnam. Following a long-standing tradition of Left leaders, Sitaram Yechury’ss body will be donated to AAIIMS for training and research.

Stay tuned to Yo! Vizag website and Instagram for more city and news updates.

This post was last modified on %s = human-readable time difference 10:24 am

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