Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee speaks to the media

Kolkata 17th Jan (PTI):Death of Bengal's erstwhile chief minister Mr Jyoti Basu has garnered various reactions from different corners of Indian political society.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said in the death of Jyoti Basu, the country had lost a great leader and the Left and democratic movement suffered a severe blow.  'He was our guardian,' Bhattacharjee said in his condolence statement in front of reporters at the party headquarters in Alimuddin street.     

Basu had been at the forefront of communist movement since the beginning of 1940. He played a very significant role in organising the Left and democratic movement all over the country.Basu had led the Left Front government for consecutive five terms.

'Jyoti Basu did not go gentle into the good night. He fought bravely till his last breath, just as he did throughout his life. And what a rich fulfilled and glorious life he had. He served his country, his party and his state with whole-hearted dedication for over half a century,” said Sonia Gandhi in her condolence message.

Congress sources said Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, also Bengal PCC chief, will attend the cremation as the representative of the Union Government as well as the party.

Mukherjee, who shared a close relationship with Basu earlier described the Marxist patriarch as a “charismatic” political leader and a “towering personality”.

Speaking about his “close intimacy” with the veteran CPI-M leader, Mukherjee said, “I knew him personally for more than five decades...In his death I lost a great well-wisher of myself.”

Congress party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said Basu's death signfied the end of an era.

”Jyoti Babu belongs to the era of gentleman politics. His death signifies the end of an era...As a disciplined party solider, he paid the price with Prime Minister's post although a lot of persons said that it was a historic blunder,” Singhvi said.

He was referring to the refusal of the CPI-M to join the 1996 United Front government even though the Prime Minister's chair was offered to Basu

Basu's death was a jolt to the poor and the downtrodden for whom he fought for decades .The death of Jyoti Basu has come as a jolt to the poor and the downtrodden for whom he fought for decades, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said today.

'He has been a champion for the rights of the poor and the downtrodden. During his chief ministership between 1977 and 1999, he tried to change the fate of these sections of people,' Soren said, condoling the 95-year-old Communist leader's death.

'His contribution in land reforms has no other example in northern India. The land reforms took him to the pinnacle of political career,' Soren said.

RJD President Lalu Prasad has condoled the death of Jyoti Basu. ''In his death I have lost my political guardian, a guide and philosopher,'' he said in his condolence message today. Recalling his long association with Basu, he said the country would always remember the services and contributions of the former Chief Minister of West Bengal to the society and the nation

Lok Satta party president, Jayaprakash Narayan, said the greatest tribute to Marxist leader was to imbibe his qualities of extraordinary moderation and restraint besides reconciliation of conflicting interests and steadfast adherence to the middle path in a diverse society in the country.

Narayan, in a statement here, said Basu was one of the key architects of the coalition era in the country.

Not only Jyoti Basu's or as he was formally known by Jyoti Babu's colleagues but also followers and acquaintances from a diverse area of activities have expressed their grief , views and condolences over his death.

Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata today expressed sorrow at the passing away of CPI(M) patriarch describing him as a great leader.

'We view his passing away with great sorrow. He was a great leader of the nation and of the state. He will be missed by all, Tata said in a statement.'

He hailed from East Bengal but former chief minister Jyoti Basu, who died today, was a true Mohun Bagan supporter, the club general secretary Anjan Mitra said.

Remembering Basu's association with Mohun Bagan, Mitra said, 'It was because of his initiative in 1990, Mohun Bagan could play against the Cameroon national team led by Roger Milla after their campaign in the FIFA World Cup.'

'I was a finance secretary of the club during that time. He had personally sent me to England to arrange the match with Cameroon national team that featured in the World Cup won by West Germany. It was a joint venture between Mohun Bagan and the government of West Bengal,' Mitra told PTI.

Cameroon had a quarter-final finish after bowing to England in the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.

'My association with him grew during that period and I have fond memories with him. He was an efficient administrator. He had supported our club in best possible ways. He hailed from East Bengal but he was a hardcore Mohun Bagan supporter.'

Mitra recalled how Basu was instrumental in organising an exhibition match between Mohun Bagan and the Indian cricket team in 1990s.

'His contribution has been immense and he had shown high interest in development of sports in Bengal. We have lost a huge figure, it's a big loss for us,' Mitra added.

As a mark of respect, Mohun Bagan's flag was kept at half-mast today.

The 'State' of affairs at the party office

Gloom descended on the CPI(M) state headquarters on Alimuddin street here with the party red flag lowered and comrades wearing white tags reading 'Jyoti Basu we are shocked'.

The state secretariat will meet this evening at a special session to mourn Basu's death and chalk out details of the funeral programme of the departed leader.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is slated to attend the meeting.

A large number of admirers of Marxist veteran Jyoti Basu, including former Prime Minister I K Gujral, visited CPI(M) Headquarters today and paid their tributes to the departed leader.

Gujral came to the AKG Bhavan, the party headquarters, this evening to offer his condolences. 'Great loss to the nation,' he wrote in the condolence book.

CPI leader Amarjeet Kaur, leaders of various trade unions and Pravasi Nepali Sangh, NGO activists and students also came to the CPI(M) headquarters to offer their tributes

The ground floor of party headquarters has been cleared for the body to be placed for public veneration

Jyoti Basu's body will be taken out from funeral parlour 'Peace Haven' at 9.30 AM on Tuesday to be taken to the state secretariat Writers' Buildings at 10 AM.

The body will be kept at the state Assembly premises for four hours (10.30 AM to 2.30 PM) to enable the people to pay their last respects, state CPI(M) secretary Biman Bose said.

Leaders of the country and from abroad, including Bangladesh will pay their last respects to Basu at the Assembly premises, he said.

The body will then be taken to party headquarters for one hour at Alimuddin street at 3 pm and will take the final journey from there to the state-run SSKM hospital, he said.

All CPI(M) politburo and central committee members will be arriving here on the occasion adding some other political party leaders are expected to attend the last journey of the stalwart leader.

A condolence book will be kept at the party headquarters on Alimuddin street for visitors to pen words about the late leader.