A Condolence meeting was held at AKG Bhawan New Delhi to pay homage to Nelson Mandela, former President, S.Africa and one of the top leaders the world has ever seen. Comrade Hari Singh Kang, presided. Comrades Varadarajan, A.K.Padmanabhan and other senior leaders of CPI(M) and many other comrades were present.
Com.Sitaram Yechury, PBM, CPI(M), spoke in length about the life of Nelson Mandela, his struggle against British imperialists for the freedom of S.Africa, the formation of the militant unit to fight against British, Umkhonto We Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) of which he was the first Commander-in-Chief, his arrest and solitary confinement in Robben Island for 27 years, his release due to the strong protest from the nations all over the world, freedom from British Supremacy, his election as the first black President of S.Africa, the joint functioning of the African National Congress (ANC), South African Communist Party (SACP) and COSATU, the workers organisation. He retired from the post of President after the first term, though everybody pressed him to continue. Com. Sitaram Yechury also informed that he will be leaving to S.Africa to participate in the farewell function along with the President Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Opposition Leader Smt. Sushma Swaraj and other leaders.
The participants stood in silence for one minute paying respectful homage to the memory of the departed leader.
Red Salute to Comrade nelson Mandela!