People's Democracy

I AM deeply grieved at the passing away of Comrade Suseela Gopalan. She bravely fought against the cancer which afflicted her for the past two years. In her death, our party and the entire communist movement has suffered a grievous loss. I have been closely associated with both AKG and Suseela for over 40 years. We used to stay together at 4 Ashoka Road in New Delhi when AKG was the leader of the CPI(M) parliamentary group. I have very warm memories of our comradeship in those times.

Suseela Gopalan was a leader of the party in her own right even while she worked together with AKG and as his wife looked after him in the last years of his life. They were an ideal communist couple.

Suseela Gopalan was always concerned with the problems of the working people, particularly of women workers. She would be prepared to join any struggle or movement whenever such an occasion arose.

She was one of the best women leaders the Party has produced. On this sad occasion, I convey my deep condolences to Laila and Karunakaran and all other members of her family.