Castro was an inspiration for Kerala Communists

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Kerala Left leaders on Saturday, paid tribute to Fidel Castro, terming the former Cuban president a shining beacon of the Communist movement across the world.

Castro, leader of the Communist revolution, passed away at the age of 90 on Friday.

Former Kerala Minister and senior CPI leader Binoy Viswam said, his meeting with the great revolutionary way back in 1984 in Havana is still fresh in his memory.

"The moment he walked into the meeting hall, where hundreds of youths from various places were present, the atmosphere turned electric with lots of slogan shouting, especially of `Either socialism, or death`. He was an inspiration to Communists all over the world," said Viswam.

State Finance Minister and academic Thomas Issac said, though Castro was not a Communist in the beginning, he later turned one, and since then he was instrumental in laying a new path for the third world countries, especially the Communist movement.

Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said, Castro was a shining beacon for the Communist movement all over the world and his passing away is going to be an irreparable loss.

State Communist Party of India secretary Kanam Rajendran recalled that, Castro played a huge role in showing to the world that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communist movement is here to stay, and proved it too.

"He was always an inspiration for Indian communists. We too played a small role when an embargo was announced against Cuba, especially by providing food items and medicines," said Rajendran.

State Education Minister C. Raveendranath said the greatness of Castro was he understood the emotions and the feelings of the ordinary man.

"Communists across the globe have a common thread as Castro too followed the Marxist thoughts and ideology which he showed and proved was the true alternative to the neo-liberal policies," said Raveendranath.

Fidel Castro ruled Cuba as a one-party state for almost half a century before handing over power to his brother Raul in 2008.