People's Democracy

Condolences Pour In From Across The World

Communist Party of China

We are in deep sorrow to learn of the passing away of H S Surjeet, erstwhile former general secretary of the CPI(M).

As one of the vanguards of the communist movement, the founders and outstanding leaders of the CPI(M), Comrade Surjeet has made his unique contribution to the national independence, economic and social development of India. As an old friend of the Chinese people, Comrade Surjeet was devoted to strengthening the exchanges and cooperation between the CPI(M) and Communist Party of China, developing Sino-Indian relations and deepening friendship between the two peoples in his life time.

On behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, we would like to convey our condolence on the passing away of Comrade Surjeet and our sympathy and solicitude to his family.

Communist Party of Cuba

Central Committee

With deep sorrow we learned about the demise of comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, untiring Indian freedom fighter, who was General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Not only CPI(M) but the entire Left has lost a committed revolutionary and Cuba, the faithful and beloved friend, who was the soul of the solidarity movement with our country in the most difficult years of the Revolution.

Our people will never forget his visits to Cuba, in which he talked mostly with comrade Fidel, and the shipment of food which Fidel named as �the Indian bread for the Cuban people�, among other donations he organised and sent to Cuba.

Receive comrades our deeply felt condolences which we send for his comrades in the Party , his family members and the Indian people who admired and followed him in his struggle.

 

Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples

I have just received the sad news on the demise of the dearest comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, who was close friend of the Cuban Revolution and our people.

His ideas and upright behavior constitute an example to follow for any communist movement of these times in a so complicated world, mainly for the class and mass struggle.

At this moment, many of the actions that Surjeet undertook in favour of our cause come to my mind. The Cubans highly appreciated his efforts in mobilising a donation of more than ten thousand tons of wheat in 1992, during one of the most difficult years of the �Special Period�. Comrade Surjeet headed the group of Indians who came to our harbour for the delivery of the donation gathered from the common people of India. I remember the words of Fidel Castro at that time when he said �that is the true solidarity which reflects the sharing of not what we have extra, but sharing the few that we have.�

Surjeet was the pioneer of the National Committee of Solidarity with Cuba in India. He attended the two World Conferences for Solidarity with Cuba held in Havana and was honoured with the �Friendship Medal� given by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba and  proposed by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples.

Undoubtedly, it is a great loss for the Left movement in India. We have also lost a great friend and historical supporter. I would like to convey to the National Committee of Solidarity with Cuba
the heartfelt condolences on behalf of our institute and the Cuban people we represent.    

Fraternally

Enrique Roman Hernandez

First Vice President

Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples

Communist Party of Vietnam

We are deeply shocked at the passing away of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, after long illness, on the 1 August 2008 at the age of 93.

Comrade H S Surjeet was a veteran leader of the CPI(M), an outstanding activist of the Indian people's struggle for national independence, democracy and social progress.

In his life time, Comrade H S Surjeet always entertained fine sentiments toward the Vietnamese people, ceaselessly cultivated and nurtured the traditional relations of solidarity, friendship and cooperation between our two parties and peoples of Vietnam and India. His demise has been a great loss for the Indian communists and his family; we have lost a close friend.

On behalf of the Vietnamese communists and people, we would like to convey to you and through you, to the family of Comrade H S Surjeet our deepest condolences.

Vyacheslav I Trubnikov

Ambassador of the Russian Federation

With great sorrow I have heard the news about the demise of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, one of the most eminent personalities of our times whose prominent role in Indian politics and society was inspiring younger generations.

Being an important person in political and social life he had invariably taken a principle and impartial stand. He was known as a brilliant statesman and a true friend of the Soviet Union and modern Russia and his personal contribution to the cause of strengthening friendship between India and my country was highly appreciated.

Please accept on behalf of the Embassy of the Russian Federation and on my personal behalf our condolences over such a great loss for the Party as well as for entire India.

Communist Party of Brazil-PCdoB

It is with great sorrow we have received the news of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet's death. The 93 year old former General Secretary was a historical leader of your Party.

Comrade Surjeet was a dedicated communist who provided a militant leadership along a long and glorious path. At a very young age, he became a patriot who struggled against the British colonialist domination in your country. An man of internationalist spirit, he has always remained on the side of Marxism-Leninism and on the revolutionary side and has struggled for the unity of the International Communist Movement.

During all his life, Comrade Surjeet has been characterised as a firm defender of socialism and a struggler against the retrograde fundamentalist forces. He always opposed the extremist terrorism and has defended the national unity of India. In this sense, the death of Comrade Surjeet is a great loss to all democratic and patriotic forces of India.

As the main leadership of the International Department of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Comrade Surjeet always was an active and respectful voice among the democratic, leftist, anti-imperialist and communist forces all around the world. Cadres of our Party had the satisfaction of interacting with Comrade Surjeet in several international forums and we admired his revolutionary coherence.

In this sad moment to the Indian Communists, the Communist Party of Brazil-PCdoB, on behalf of all its comrades and leadership send its condolences to Surjeet's family, to all the comrades and to the Indian people.

Communist Party of Sri Lanka

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka on behalf of all Sri Lankan communists and the progressive forces of Sri Lankans convey our deepest condolences on the passing away of Comrade Surjeet, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and his beloved wife Pritam and children.

We remember with gratitude the fact that relations between our two parties were strengthened and consolidated during the period of his leadership. We also remember with deep respect and honour how he led a delegation from India to participate in the funeral of Vijaya Kumaratunge when he was brutally murdered in February 1998. He was so sensitive to the concerns of the progressive movements of Sri Lanka.

Sahana Pradhan

Standing Committee member

Communist Party of Nepal

I am deeply shocked to hear the news of sad demise of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet. I would like to pay my solemn homage to the late Comrade Surjeet and express deep condolence to you, to Comrade Surjeet's bereaved family members and the entire leaders and members of the CPI(M) through you.

Comrade Surjeet was an esteemed great leader of the Communist movement of India and a close friend of our party. His demise is an irrecoverable loss to the Indian communist movement and the Indian people. His immense contributions to the communist cause will be immortal and cherished by all communists in our region forever.

At this moment, we are recalling Comrade Surjeet's firm support to the democratic movement of the Nepali people and his strong solidarity to our endeavours in the difficult days under the autocratic Panchayat regime, specially during the people's movement of 1990. His support and solidarity to the last historical movement of the Nepali people was also very inspiring. We will continue to adhere to the glorious path paved by Comrade Surjeet.

Nepali Congress

Nepali Congress is deeply shocked at the sad demise of the veteran communist leader of India and a great friend of Nepal, Harkishan Singh Surjeet who died in New Delhi on August 1. He strongly pleaded for support to the mass movement launched for the restoration of democratic rights of Nepalese people against the King's dictatorial regime.

A founder leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist), Harkishan Singh Surjeet has left an unforgettable impression in the hearts of the Nepalese people through his valuable inspiration and participation in the historic National Conference held in Kathmandu in 1990 under the leadership of the late Ganesh Man Singh, the supreme leader of Nepali Congress.

A freedom fighter of India, Surjeet was one of the Indian leaders who attended the conference with Chandra Shekhar, a socialist leader of Asia.

On behalf of Nepali Congress and the people of Nepal,we would like to extend heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family and his party comrades and pray for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

Central Committee of Worker's Party of Korea

The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea expresses its deep condolence to the Central Committee of the CPI(M) and bereaved family of Comrade H K S Surjeet after receiving the news of his death due to illness.

His achievements accomplished for the CPI(M) and Indian people, for the development of the friendly relations between the two parties will remain forever.

Portuguese Communist Party PCP

International Section

It was with great sadness that we received the news of the passing away of Comrade Surjeet, an outstanding leader of communist movement, a historical and dedicated leader of your Party and of the communist movement and highly respected among our party.

In sending you attached a message of the secretariat of the Central committee of Portuguese convey to you and to all the comrades in the CPI(M) the heartfelt condolences and the solidarity of the PCP.

Central Organising Committee

Communist Party of Burma

It was with great shock and deep sadness that we learned the news of the demise of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet.

We will always remember the glorious chapter of history of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)  with Comrade Surjeet at the helm. Comrade Surjeet was a real communist who had made indelible contributions to the cause of the proletarian and the oppressed people of India and the world over. History will neither forget the contributions he made for the independence of India. We shall never forget the progress of the relationship between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of Burma during his tenure as the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The memory of Comrade Surjeet will live in our hearts forever. May the death of a grand revolutionary like him engender more revolutionaries coming on stage.

Communist Party of Nepal(United Marxist)

Central Committee

The Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist) pays with profound grief and sorrow its heartfelt homage to Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, one of the veteran, prominent and dedicated Indian Communist leaders and the former general secretary of the Communist Party of India(Marxist), who, after a prolong illness, passed away on August 1, 2008.

An uncompromising and staunch fighter against the imperialist and feudalist forces, Comrade Surjeet was also a very keen observer of the Nepalese communist movement and wanted unity of Nepalese Left forces and groups, based on common minimum programme, and its co-operation and working together with democratic forces to fight against monarchy and for democratic set-up in Nepal. With his sad demise, Nepalese Communist movement as well as International Communist movement has lost one of the very mature and confident comrades. Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist) extends its deep condolence to the CPI(M) Central Committee, its rank and files and through them, the bereaved family.

Mujahidul Islam Salim

General Secretary

Communist Party of Bangladesh

The Communist Party of Bangladesh deeply condoles the death of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, former general secretary of the CPI(M). The Central Committee along with all the members of Communist Party of Bangladesh while mourning the demise of Comrade Surjeet pays their homage to this great leader of the Communist movement in South Asia since its very inception. He dedicated his life for peace, freedom, human rights, emancipation of the toiling masses and socialism.

The Central Committee of Communist Party of Bangladesh also conveys its condolence to the bereaved family, the members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the friends and all comrades in arms of departed leader Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet.

Haider Akbar Khan Rano

Member, Polit Bureau

Workers Party of Bangladesh

We are deeply grieved at the news of the sad demise of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, the former general secretary of CPI(M), the great revolutionary and the communist leader of India and freedom fighter for India's independence. He was also a sincere friend of Bangladesh. We pay our deepest respects for his contribution to the communist movement of the sub continent and his support to the liberation struggle of Bangladesh in 1971. We share sorrows with you and all the members of CPI(M).

Avtar Sadiq - National Secretary

Association of Indian Communists Great Britain (Marxist)
 

The Association of Indian Communists Great Britain (Marxist) expresses its deep grief at the passing away of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, veteran leader of the Party and former general secretary of the CPI(M).

He played a predominant role in forming and developing the Association in Britain. For more than five decades, he remained a major source of inspiration in providing guidance to our struggles against racism, communalism, imperialism and building communal harmony in Britain.

The Association pays homage to his memory. It conveys its heartfelt condolences to his wife, sons, daughters, grand children and family members.

Central Committee of

Communist Party of Greece

Dear Comrades,

 

With awful sorrow, we heard the news of the passing away of comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, a distinguished comrade of Communist Movement in your country as well as internationally.

 

Comrade Surjeet, during all his life, was a tireless fighter for the defense of ideas of communism and the revolutionary theory of Marxism-Leninism. He was dedicated, until the end of his life, to the goal of the liberation of the working class and the working people. Moreover he was a life-long fighter against communalism in India.

 

For his pioneering efforts, the CPI(M) elected him as general secretary until the 18th Congress of the Party.

 

The life and the actions of comrade Surjeet is a great inspiration for the international communist movement and for the new generations of the communists to fight for the elimination of exploitation of human being by human being, for socialism and communism.

 

The Central Committee of KKE expresses its deepest sorrow to the Central Committee of CPI(M) as well as to the family of the comrade, his wife and his children. 

 

  

Japanese Communist Party

We express our deepest condolences on the death of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, a veteran leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

 

He has made a great contribution to developing the relations between the JCP and the CPI(M), since a JCP delegation to India first held a meeting with the CPI(M) in 1980. During his visits to Japan on three occasions, including to attend a JCP-sponsored international symposium and the JCP Congress, we remember having fruitful discussions on various subjects, including anti-nuclear agenda and other issues of peace, views on the international situation, socialism, and the struggle for peace and social progress in each country. We also remember that he extended warm hospitality to the JCP delegation visiting India in 1988 and 2002.

 

Starting from the struggle against the British colonial rule, Comrade Surjeet played a prominent role in the efforts to improve the living standards of the Indian people and promote progressive change in politics. He played a leadership role in building a strong and principled communist party, which led to the successful establishment and continuation of the Left-led state governments with a population of one hundred and twenty million.

 

We wish that the CPI(M) further advances in the struggle for peace, social progress, democracy and socialism by overcoming the loss of Comrade Surjeet.

 

Please convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

 

 

Shii Kazuo (Chair, Executive Committee)                                       

Fuwa Tetsuzo (Former Chair, Central Committee)