Rich tributes were paid to veteran Communist leader and the former State secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Veliyam Bhargavan at a condolence meeting organised by the CPI in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
Speakers hailed his contribution to the Left movement, humaneness, oratorical skills, and uncompromising stand against corruption and nepotism.
D. Raja, national secretary of the CPI, said Veliyam Bhargavan was an outstanding Communist who firmly believed in revolutionary theory.
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He practised what he preached and lived like a true communist till his last, he said adding that the veteran leader advocated the need to strengthen the organisational base of the party.
Recalling his long association with the leader, he said Veliyam Bhargavan, all through his life, did not nurture any interest other than serving the party and worked tirelessly for the welfare of the downtrodden. At a time when the country was passing through an “era of moral degradation,” the high moral values exemplified by Veliyam Bhargavan assumed great significance. The death of Veliyam Bhargavan was not just a loss to the Communist movement in Kerala but to the entire country as his views were taken with utmost respect by national leaders of the party, Mr. Raja said.
State secretary of the CPI, Pannian Ravindran said Veliyam Bhargavan was a true Communist whom many considered a mentor and teacher.
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He had firm views whether it was with respect to internal party matters or policy decisions and did not shy away from making his stand clear, he said.
The former Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Veliyam Bhargavan had played a significant role in building up the Communist party and his contribution to the Left movement was commendable.