Tribute to Sitaram Yechury: JNU pays respects to veteran CPM leader

New Delhi: Hundreds gathered at the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Friday to pay respects to the late CPM leader. The mortal remains of the CPM General Secretary were handed over to party leaders from AIIMS on Friday evening. His body will be brought to his residence in Vasant Kunj from JNU.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other top CPM leaders from the state have already reached Delhi to pay homage to the veteran leader. On Saturday morning, at around 10 am, Yechury’s body will be taken to AKG Bhavan, the CPM Central Committee office, where it will remain for public viewing until 3 pm. Following this, a funeral procession will proceed to 14 Ashoka Road. CPM Politburo members and Central Committee representatives are expected to participate in the procession. From Ashoka Road, the body will be returned to AIIMS for medical study.

It has not yet been decided where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, and other national leaders will pay their final respects. There are indications that international representatives from countries like China and Cuba will also pay homage to the leader.

Yechury had been undergoing treatment at AIIMS since August 19 due to a lung infection. As his condition worsened, he was moved to a ventilator a few days ago. He passed away at 3.03 pm on Thursday. The CPM state committee has announced a three-day mourning period in Kerala as a mark of respect for Yechury. All party programs, including meetings, will be postponed. Local committees will hold condolence meetings on Saturday evening. Decisions regarding a successor to Yechury have not yet been made.