Kerala remembers Cuban revolutionary

Kerala today remembered iconic Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro, who passed away last week, with leaders cutting across political barriers sharing a platform here today to pay homage to him.
Besides Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the 'Castro commemorative event', organised by state Information and Public Relations Department, was attended by a host of leaders including assembly speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and BJP MLA O Rajagopal.
Hailing Castro as the 'strongest protector of Socialism', Vijayan said the revolutionary leader had braved several assassination bids, including by CIA, and economic sanctions imposed on Cuba by "imperialist forces with his willpower."

"Though Cuba was a small, sparsely populated nation, it survived all challenges posed by imperialist forces by upholding socialist ideology under Castro's administration," he said.
A scientific political ideology and unwavering commitment to it had helped Cuba and Castro to brave threats and challenges, he said.
The chief minister said Castro would be known forever as an immortal revolutionary who rightly blended "practicality with his political ideology."
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said Castro had been a source of inspiration for all who fought for their survival across the world. Not orthodox communism, but practical socialism was the ideology embraced by Castro, he added.

State Ministers V S Sunil Kumar and Mathew T Thomas were among those who attended the meeting.