"A protector of Idea of India...": Rahul Gandhi condoles death of Sitaram Yechury

Rahul Gandhi shared a picture with Sitaram Yechury on social media platform X and said, "Sitaram Yechury ji was a friend. A protector of the idea of India with a deep understanding of our country."

The Congress leader further mentioned in his post that he will miss the long discussions they used to have.

"My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and followers in this hour of grief," he added in his post.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury passed away on Thursday due to pneumonia.

Yechury was admitted to the AIIMS in Delhi on August 19, 2024. He had been first admitted to the emergency ward and then shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

AIIMS confirmed that Yechury, aged 72, passed away at 3:05 pm today. The family has donated his body to AIIMS, New Delhi for teaching and research purposes.

"Sitaram Yechury CPI(M) General Secretary no more. He was admitted in AIIMS," CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah told ANI.

He said that Yechury was the strongest voice in favour of democracy, secularism, unity and the united progress of this country.

"It is a very sad affair for the CPI(M), for the left movement of India and the democratic movement of the country. He was the strongest voice in favour of democracy, secularism, unity and united progress of this country. He had a serious chest infection, pneumonia and was admitted to AIIMS after 10-11 days. Today, a few minutes back, he expired. He fought a lot but ultimately his life could not be saved...," added Mollah.

Sitaram Yechury was a prominent Indian politician who held a seat in the CPM politburo for 32 years and served as the party's general secretary from 2015. Additionally, he represented West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, from 2005 to 2017.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) mourned the loss of its General Secretary, Sitaram Yechury, by flying its party flag at half-mast at its Delhi office, as a mark of respect and tribute to his memory. (ANI)