Veteran freedom fighter, communist leader Palekar passes away

Panaji, July 26 (UNI) Veteran freedom fighter, trade union and communist leader Narayan Palekar died after a brief illness late last night in Goa.

He was 80 and is survived by two daughters and a son.

His funeral would take place at his native village Goa Velha tomorrow and the body has been kept in state at his home today.

President of the Goa unit of the CPI-led All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Mr Palekar was general council member of the CPI and national executive member of the electricity union.

He was one of the founder members of the Goa Peoples' Party that later became the CPI along with George Vaz and S A Dange in Goa. He was very close to socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia who gave a clarion call for liberation of Goa, and founder of the Radical Humanist Movement M N Roy.

Bemoaning his death, the state AITUC general secretary and CPI national secretary Mr Christopher Fonseca said the country lost a veteran trade union leader.

He also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.

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