CONDOLENCE MESSAGES FROM FRATERNAL PARTIES ABROAD

From the Communist Party of Cuba

WE express our most heartfelt condolences for the physical disappearance of Comrade Jyoti Basu, a committed communist, historical leader, a founder of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and a tireless fighter for the wellbeing of the Indian people, the just causes and peace.
Because of his fruitful life, his seventy years devoted to the Marxist cause, in which he suffered the hardship of prison and underground life, he became a symbol of the Left and progressive forces, and won respect and acknowledgement outside his own country.

He admired the Cuban Revolution and our leaders, and on the occasion of his several visits to our country, he offered his support and love to our people, something which we will never forget.

At this sad moment, we convey our solidarity to the cadres and leaders of the CPI(M) which become a vibrant force to continue the struggle for a better and possible world for all.

From the Communist Party of China

WE are deeply grieved to learn of the demise of a luminary of the Indian communist movement and former CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Comrade Jyoti Basu.

As one of the vanguards of the communist movement in India, the founders and outstanding leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Comrade Jyoti Basu made great contribution to the national independence, construction, economic and social development of India. As an old friend to the Chinese people, Comrade Jyoti Basu devoted his whole life to intensifying the communication and cooperation between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of China, strengthening the people-to-people friendship and state-to-state relationship between China and India.

The International Department of CPC Central Committee mourns the demise of Comrade Jyoti Basu and expresses sympathy for his bereaved family.

From the Communist Party of the Russian Federation

WITH profound grief we came to know that Comrade Jyoti Basu has passed away. He was one of the founders of the Communist Party. In your country he enjoyed the vast authority and love among the majority of popular masses and was one of the most prominent and influential Indian politicians. For many years he was the chief minister of West Bengal. We know Comrade Jyoti Basu as a truthful friend of the Soviet Union and the communists of our country.

We express our deep condolences to the family of Comrade Jyoti Basu, to all friends and comrades, to Indian communists.

From the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)

IT is with great sadness that we have received the news of the demise of Comrade Jyoti Basu. His outstanding record of service in the Indian working-class movement is too long for us to cover in this brief message. We shall, however, be carrying an obituary in the next issue of our party’s journal Proletarian in which we hope to be able to do justice to his important contribution to the proletarian movement. His absence from the political scene, which he had so long dominated, will leave a void, which we hope the collective leadership of the CPM will be able to fill. His will be a hard act to follow. He set an example for the whole of India as to how the role of a chief minister should be performed.

Please accept our sincerest condolences for the loss of this outstanding comrade. Can we, through you, convey the same to the Central Committee of the CPI(M), its cadres and the family of Comrade Basu.

From the French Communist Party

THE French Communist Party would like to extend to you its sincere condolences after the great Indian Communist leader Joyti Basu passed away. His life as an activist, trade unionist, political leader, minister and head of the government in West Bengal mingles with the history of India and of your party. A great figure of the fight for human emancipation is gone. The leadership of the French Communist Party would like to take this painful occasion to reaffirm all its warm solidarity.

Dear Comrades,
Our solidarity is even deeper in light of the ignominious and criminal terrorist aggressions against numerous activists and leaders of your party, as well as from police agents. The French Communist Party condemns these shocking murders committed, even against women and children, by a Maoist organisation who wants to spread terror and death.

The French Communist Party stands firmly by your side and we give you all our support.

From the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB)

WE are very much in sorrow over the passing away of Comrade Jyoit Basu, veteran leader of the CPI(M), who played a very important role in the communist movement in region. His demise is an irreparable loss not only for the CPI(M), but also a great loss for the people of India.

On behalf of the leadership and the militants of the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB), we express deep sorrow on the demise of Comrade Jyoti Basu, pay profound tribute to the deceased leader and also express condolences to his family, the Central Committee and all members of the CPI(M).

From the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP)

UPON learning that Comrade Jyoti Basu, a founder and historic leader of your party and, recognisably, one of the great figures of Indian politics and of the communist movement has passed away, we wish to convey the most heartfelt condolences of the Portuguese communists.

Comrade Jyoti Basu will be remembered by our party as one of the most remarkable Indian communist leaders, tireless fighter for the independence of your country, an intellectual profoundly committed to the interests and yearnings of Indian working class, to the worker and trade union movement and a historic leader of the people of West Bengal state that he led for many years as the chief minister.

As this time of his disappearance, we recall the accessibility, energy and joy with which Comrade Jyoti Basu received, in his house in Calcutta, the PCP delegation led by Comrade Jeronimo de Sousa in September 2006.

Paying tribute to one of the great figures of the Indian communist movement, we kindly ask you, dear comrades, to convey to Comrade Jyoti Basu’s family, to other comrades and friends our condolences and the solidarity of the Portuguese Communist Party.

From the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain

THE Marxist-Leninists from the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain convey their deepest condolences on the death of your historic leader, Comrade Jyoti Basu.

Veteran communist activists and leaders like Jyoti Basu should be for us an example of life devoted to the struggle for the emancipation of the working class and other people, and source of inspiration for new generations of communists in India and worldwide.

Comrade Jyoti Basu fought tirelessly for democracy and socialism in the legal framework and in the underground, and was therefore subject to persecution and imprisonment. Now, with the dangerous rise of fascism and the resurgence of the dictatorship of capital around the globe as the only possible reaction of senile and decaying capitalism to its own systemic crisis, many communist fighters and fighters are constantly being persecuted, and their symbols and organisations criminalised and outlawed in many countries.

The unity and cooperation of the Communist and Workers' Parties has grown tighter in order to provide a backbone to the anti-imperialist front that is able to cope with this brutal imperialist capitalist offensive against the workers and peoples.

The communist Jyoti Basu will be present in the heroic history of the Indian people and the international communist movement, surrounded by his comrades and the red flags of work and the revolution.

Victory is yours, Comrade Jyoti Basu!

From the Communist Party of Greece (KKE)

WE would like to express our profound grief over the death of Jyoti Basu, historic leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and prominent figure of the communist movement in India with broad reputation and recognition.

Jyoti Basu died on Sunday, January 17, at the age of 95. For 70 years he had been committed to the labour and communist movement. He had been a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India and one of the founding cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was a member of the Polit Bureau from the time of the party's founding in 1964 until 2008 and remained a member of the Central Committee until his death.

He was assigned several areas of the party work under various conditions; he experienced prison and illegality. He served as the chief minister of the state of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000 and his name has been linked with the agrarian reform, a landmark for the Indians taken by the government of the state under communist guidance.

The working class and the communist movement in India have lost a great fighter, committed to the struggle for the abolition of exploitation and for socialism.

The Central Committee of KKE expresses its sincere condolences to the CPI(M), the members and friends of the party in West Bengal, to the family and the familiars of the deceased comrade.

From the Japanese Communist Party

WE were saddened to hear the news of the demise of Mr Jyoti Basu, one of the founding leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who long served as the chief minister of the Left Front government of West Bengal. We express our deepest condolences.

We have fond memories of having fruitful discussions with him when we visited your country in 1988 and 2002. He told us about the struggle to establish the Left Front government overcoming semi-fascist terror in the state. As well, he told us about the implementation of various progressive policies, including distributing agricultural land to farmers and establishing grassroots democracy through the introduction of panchayat institutions, bringing about great improvement in people’s living conditions.

Please convey our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.

From the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)

OUR party has been stunned on hearing the heart rendering news of the death of Jyoti Basu, senior leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the age of 95. Comrade Jyoti Basu was not only in the forefront of the communist movement in India; he was also one of the renowned leaders of the world. He had extended significant support to the democratic movement of Nepal. He discharged his duty as a clean and capable chief minister for more than two decades amidst the corruption prevailed in South Asia. His demise is an irreparable loss not only to the Indian communist movement but also in the international communist movement.

We, on behalf of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) as well as Nepalese communists, extend our heartfelt tribute to Comrade Jyoti Basu and profound condolence to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and his aggrieved family.

From the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist)

THE Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist) has been stunned hearing the sad news of the demise of Comrade Jyoti Basu, a veteran and prominent leader of the communist and democratic movements in India. Paying homage to the highly valued personality of Comrade Basu with profound grief and sorrow, our party expresses its heartfelt condolence to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and through it to the bereaved family and friends of the late Comrade Basu.

The beloved Indian leader, Comrade Basu, was a dependable and reliable friend of the Nepalese people and of the anti-feudal and anti-imperialist Left and democratic movement in Nepal. Our party shall never forget his participation and the inspiring speech as chief gust of the programme organised by our party in 1990 after the restoration of multiparty democracy, on the eve of 12th memorial day of the late leader Comrade Puspalal, the founder general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal.

Comrade Basu’s remark on the need to protect, promote and strengthen the nascent democracy of our country is still equally valid and significant in the present context of Nepalese politics.
Long Live Comrade Jyoti Basu!

Red Salute to Comrade Basu!

From the Communist Party of Bangladesh

ON behalf of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, we convey our heartfelt condolences on the demise of Comrade Jyoti Basu, an outstanding and legendary leader of the communist movement in India and the subcontinent.

Comrade Basu dedicated his entire life to the people’s struggle against colonialism, imperialism, capitalist exploitation and communalism, for democracy, freedom, peace and progress.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh remembers with his activities in the same party and in Bangladesh territory, particularly his contribution in building the trade union movement and Railway Workers Union during the British colonial rule. Comrade Jyoti Basu efficiently and successfully led the communist and Left movement in the state of West Bengal, in the challenging and complex task of running a government for decades in a bourgeois state system.

As a Marxist-Leninist and a true internationalist, Comrade Basu played a significant role in the process of water sharing agreement between Bangladesh and India. He took positive initiative for mutual friendship and cooperation between our two countries. The people of Bangladesh will always remember Comrade Jyoti Basu with great respect for the good feelings he had for our country and people.

We give our revolutionary red salute to Comrade Jyoti Basu who will continue to live amongst us in our struggle for peace, freedom and socialism.

We also extend our deep sympathy to his bereaved family, friends, comrades and his beloved party.

From the Workers Party of Bangladesh

WE express our deepest grief at the passing away of Comrade Jyoti Basu, one of the pioneers of Indian communist movement and a leader of the CPI(M). Comrade Jyoti Basu was an outstanding leader who dedicated his whole life to the cause of the working class and oppressed people, fighting valiantly against all kinds of exploitation and oppression incessantly. He led the elected Left Front government of West Bengal for more than two decades, setting an unprecedented example in the history of parliamentary democracy. He all through his life had been steadfast and loyal to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). His wisdom and vision in combating the reactionary and communal forces of India and the imperialist forces of the world will be remembered in the days to come. His role and contribution in the Liberation War of Bangladesh will be remembered by the people of Bangladesh. His demise is an irreparable loss to the CPI(M) and the communist movement of India as well as the world communist movement. We express our solidarity with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in this moment of grief and would also like to convey our deepest condolence and sympathy to the bereaved family of Comrade Jyoti Basu.

From the Workers Party of Bangladesh (Reorganised)

WE are deeply shocked at the news of the sad demise of Comrade Jyoti Bose, the leader of your party and a legendary figure of our time. Bangladesh has lost its great friend and the Indian people have lost their dear leader. We remember with great respect his long struggling life, his struggle for the emancipation of the working people and for socialism, and his struggle against imperialism. We remember with gratitude the role of Comrade Jyoti Bose during our liberation war in 1971, the support and the help he rendered to the people and the freedom fighters of Bangladesh.

He was chief minister of West Bengal for long 24 years. During this period he made immense contribution to the society such as land reform, barga operation, industrialisation and the empowerment of the poor people through panchayat system introduced for the purpose of decentralisation of power, all of which can be considered as exemplary acts to be followed not only by the other states of India but also countries like ours.

The death of such a great, revolutionary leader with profound knowledge of Marxism and great sense of practical wisdom is a great loss for the communist and democratic movement of our subcontinent. We express our sympathy with the members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the people of India.

From the Communist Party of Burma

WE are deeply saddened to hear about the news of the passing away of Comrade Jyoti Basu, one of the great stalwarts of the communist movement of the world as well as of India.

At the time when capitalists and their advocates were trying to give fatal blows to the international communist movement after the collapse of the Soviet Union, leaders and cadres the working class parties, including Comrade Jyoti Basu, stood firm and dealt blow after blow to the conceited bourgeoisie. Thus, the communist movement the world over remained intact and now we can see a resurgence of the movement dawning upon the whole world.

Demise of a leader like him is not only a loss to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the people of India; it is also a loss to the proletarians and the people of the world. His memory will be etched in the hearts of the proletarians and the oppressed people.

Comrade Jyoti Basu was one of the leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who led struggles against imperialism, fascism and international capital. His contemporaries in our party have also passed away. But we believe that our generation can inherit and strengthen the long-tested relationship between our two parties.

Lastly, but not least, please allow us to convey our deepest sympathy to Comrade Jyoti Basu’s family members.

From the Lebanese Communist Party

ON behalf of our Political Bureau, we express to you and to all comrades of the CPI(M) our sympathy and sorrow.

We believe that Comrade Jyoti Basu has left a very militant party to you and you will continue to lead the Indian people for a new society.

From the Communist Party of Mauritius

WE regret to learn the demise of Comrade Jyoti Basu, a great leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

On my own behalf and that of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Mauritius, we hereby transmit our sincere condolences to the bereaved family and to all comrades of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

His body has left this material world but his soul will shine for ever in the midst of the Left movements in India.

May the relations between our two organisations blossom in the near future.