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Ms. Aleida Guevara, daughter of Marxist Revolutionary Che Guevara arrived at Chennai on 17th January 2023 to participate in a series of events. The medical professional and renowned human rights activist of Cuba was given a warm welcome at the airport by the leaders and cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). She was received along with her daughter Dr. Estefania Machin. The CPI(M) organised a reception to Dr. Aleida Guevara and her daughter Dr. Estefania, on the same day, in the evening at Raja Annamalai Hall in Chennai. Asiriyar K.Veeramani graced the occasion as a special guest of honour and delivered a speech. Formally honouring Dr. Aleida, he gave her two books as a memento – ‘Collected Works of Periyar E.V.R.’ and ‘A Man Ahead of His Time’. Che Guevara’s granddaughter Dr. Estefania was also honoured and given a book ‘Periyar Feminism’ as a memento.
Dr. Aleida was told that the ‘Communist Manifesto’ of Karl Heinrich Marx and Friedrich Engels was translated into Tamil and published by Periyar. She was delighted by the noteworthy information. She was felicitated at the event jointly organised by the CPI(M) and ‘National Committee for Solidarity with Cuba’.
Solidarity – Essential Principle
During an interaction with the DMK MP Ms. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Dr. Aleida asked the audience to utter the name of the state. When they all together said “Tamil Nadu”, she asked them to say it repeatedly and much more loudly. She said that solidarity is the common objective and all the forces in the world must unite for universal solidarity. She emphasised that human development is impossible without solidarity.
Shower of Love in Tamil Nadu
During the felicitation numerous shawls were presented to Dr. Aleida as a conventional honour by several 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 on her by the people of Tamil Nadu. She said further that she always wanted to be worthy of people’s love.
Medical Profession and Human Rights
Dr. Aleida is obviously upset by the economic sanctions imposed by the US which has been troubling Cuba for more than six decades. Owing to the crisis, Cuba is unable to flourish in trade with any country. It is a little known fact that Cuba is developing vaccines for cancer and inventing effective drugs to cure Alzheimer’s disease too. Cuba is trying to develop alternatives in health care – especially in homoeopathy, acupuncture and traditional Indian medicines. She describes the economic sanctions of the US in one word as “blockade”. She says Cuba is forced to look for alternatives to health care problems because the movement of essential life saving drugs has been restricted by the US “blockade”.
According to Dr. Aleida, the first important thing is to respect human beings and human rights. She says it is the common man who stands to lose in any war, as it was seen in Palestine and Ukraine. She says, “I defend peace. War should be the last resort because it finishes off everything.” According to Dr. Aleida human beings should be respected irrespective of colours, ideologies and beliefs. She says, she has imbibed values of life from her father Che Guevara.
Asiriyar Veeramani’s Tribute
At the outset Asiriyar compared Che Guevara to Thanthai Periyar and said that they both toiled ignoring their health and avoiding compromise in their ideology, policies and staunch principles. He pointed out the similarities between them and called them both stubborn revolutionists. Asiriyar hailed the ‘National Committee for Solidarity with Cuba’ and CPI(M) for organising the reception and felicitation for the heiress of Che Guevara, Dr. Aleida.
The Prefix “Che”
Asiriyar pointed out that the word “Che” means “Comrade” and hence we can say ‘Comrade Guevara’. He recalled how Periyar insisted on his followers being addressed as ‘Comrades’ – the word which stands for “Thozhar” in Tamil. He said that Periyar had thought of the powerful word ‘Comrade’ many decades ago! The word, according to Asiriyar, instantly reflects Communist ideology. Che Guevara proved in Cuba that autocracy and dictatorship can be crushed by relentless rebellion and strife. Asiriyar said that the heiress of such a great revolutioninst richly deserved felicitation and tributes in Tamil Nadu.
When Asiriyar uttered the word ‘Tamil Nadu’ thrice, the hall echoed with claps and voices of cheer. Asiriyar humorously commented that the clap-sound would be audible to some people who are hesitant to relish the words ‘Tamil Nadu’. The audience smiled at Asiriyar’s insinuation.
The Heiress of a Rebel
Dr. Aleida’s visit to Chennai is a part of her on-going tour in India.She has gratefully acknowledged the love and regard of all of us in Tamil Nadu. As the heiress of a rebellious leader of Cuba, our bondage with their family is not being renewed today; it is the continuation of an already existing relationship and affinity. The words on the podium on this dais are self-explanatory – “Express solidarity with Socialist Cuba.” We assure Dr. Aleida that we do.
During this visit she has come to know that Periyar had to undergo imprisonment for translating and publishing the Communist Manifesto of Marx and Engels. Periyar and Che Guevara, both had a global humanist outlook. The youth of the present generation realise that fact. We find most of our young men in Tamil Nadu using apparels with the image of Che Guevara printed on them. They display Periyar’s portrait together with Che Guevara’s image, because both had much in common and were on the same wave length of belief and policy. They transformed society to a great extent by their revolution and rebellion.
Sharing Pain and Empathising
Periyar used to say, “When a man suffers from pain in arms, legs, ear, nose or any other part of his body, he would just say “I feel pain”. Similarly, when people suffer in any part of this world, we feel their pain and empathise with them. We instantly share the pain of others. That is true humanism.” Periyar said it in 1943 during a public speech. Arignar Anna heard it and published the oration as a book under the title “The World to Come”.
Let us compare Periyar’s words with those of Che Guevara – “If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.” We assure Dr. Aleida, we are the comrades of the working class, the oppressed, depressed and the suppressed. We shall oppose collectively tooth and nail, all the fundamentalists and Fascists.
Asiriyar concluded his Address with his royal salute to Che Guevara who struggled throughout his life like Periyar, for equality, humanism and social justice. Long live humanism and communism! Long live socialist ideal! Let us bring about a New Egalitarian World!
Compiled by nietzsche
