Che's daughter gives call for unity of Left forces

CHENNAI: Cuban revolutionary Ernesto 'Che' Guevara's daughter Dr Aleida Guevara on Wednesday gave a call for the Left movements to unite and to find common objectives.

Addressing the felicitation organised by the CPM and National Committee for Solidarity with Cuba here, Dr Aleida said that she has been talking about the unity of the Left movements which is very important.

In a veiled reference to Governor RN Ravi's controversy surrounding Tamil Nadu, she asked the audience the name of the state and asked them to say it repeatedly and loudly. "This is the common objective we have. For this we have to unite all the forces,” she said, amid a call for unity of Left forces huge round of applause.

Referring to umpteen number of shawls presented to her by various political party leaders, she said that she would take all the shawls with her to Cuba and share with her party comrades the love showered by the people of Tamil Nadu. "Being the daughter of Che, I have been showered with love. That is why I always wanted to be worthy of people's love,” she said.

Pointing to the US economic sanction on Cuba, she said that she respects the US decision not to do business with the Island nation. "But they are forcing other nations to stop from doing business with us," she said, adding that the US should withdraw the sanctions.

Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani, DMK deputy general secretary and MP Kanimozhi, CPM politburo member MA Baby, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, CPI and CPM state secretaries R Mutharasan and K Balakrishnan addressed the event. Aleida's daughter Prof Estefania Guevara also felicitated at the event.

CPM leader Baby criticised the US double standards as it wanted to remove trade barriers on one hand while it imposes illegal sanctions on Cuba.

Kanimozhi recalled that late DMK leader M Karunanidhi once expressed his wish to meet Cuban revolutionaries Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. "They are the symbol of revolution across the world for youths," she said. Thirumavalavan said that the revolution in Cuba gave hope to the oppressed people and every person fighting against the authoritative regime.