Kolkata, January 18: West Bengal Sunday mourned the death of one of its most accomplished leaders Jyoti Basu, who ruled the state for a record 23 years. Communists wept inconsolably and thousands gathered before the hospital where the 95-year-old Marxist breathed his last.
As news of his death after a 16-day battle in hospital was announced by state Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) secretary Biman Bose, people broke down.
Bose himself was sobbing as he said, his voice shaking: “I have come to give you sad news. Jyoti Basu is now no more with us. He has left us. I can’t say anything more now…”
In no time, the state was plunged into grief, and the red flag was flown at half mast in all the hundreds of party offices across the state. Senior CPI-M leaders, Basu’s relatives and party activists wept inconsolably as party cadres periodically chanted the slogan: “Jyoti Basu, Lal Salaam, Lal Salaam (red salute)”.
The West Bengal government declared a two-day state mourning from Monday and announced a holiday in all state government offices and establishments Monday.
Local television channels cancelled all other programmes and started broadcasting images of Jyoti Basu at various stages of his life, his old interviews and recollections of people who knew him closely.
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee described Basu as the guardian of the state’s Left Front government, and said: “”In his death the country has lost a great leader and the left and democratic movement in the country has received a severe blow.”
Basu had been chief minister for a record 23 years, leading five consecutive Left front governments.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who called Basu his ‘political guru’, said: “I have lost somebody like my father. He had immense love and feelings for the people. He always asked us to stay by the side of the common people. He always said politics is for the common people”.
“A chapter of history ended today. He was never a chief minister, he was an uncle to me and he also loved me in the similar way,” said Bollywood hero Mithun Chakraborty, who visited the hospital after the veteran passed away.
Eminent filmmaker Mrinal Sen said there was no other political leader of Basu’s stature in the country now. “Aamar Bhuvan (My world 2002) is the last movie he has seen. It was directed by me. He was very happy after watching it and appreciated the movie. An era ended with his death.”
State assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim said: “He was a fighter and he fought for his life till the end. His demise is a big loss for the workers and labourers of the country.”
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Basu’s bitter political foe when he was chief minister, called for a 72-hour mourning in the state.
“He was the first and last chapter of the Communist movement in India. He will be remembered for his political achievements because of his pioneering role in the country’s Left movement.”
Former West Bengal chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray remembered the economic hurdles Basu endured during his long years of struggle as communist leader before becoming chief minister. “At the beginning of his career as a communist, he had faced lots of economic hurdles.
I have seen how simple a life he led whenever I visited his house. I have seen his wife cooking simple food… seldom I found them cooking fish or meat,” Ray, a close friend of Basu, said.
The mass leader’s death triggered gloom among his countless admirers. “I can’t express my feelings now. All I can say, I grew up watching him and following his Communist ideals throughout my life,” said Arnab Mondal, a 50-year-old resident of Kolkata’s Nagerbazar area.
Shiva Prasad Yadav, who hails from neighbouring Bihar, also mourned the death of the CPI-M veteran.
“I am completely shattered to hear the news… my leader is no more with me,” he said while crying profusely near the hospital.
Basu will not be cremated but his body will be handed over Tuesday to a state-run hospital as he had donated his body, the CPI-M announced later. His eyes have been removed as per his wishes. He had pledged to donate his eyes.
—Agencies