Red Flowers to the Stalwart pouring from across the country

CHENNAI: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala on Sunday expressed grief and shock at the news of the death of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.

Calling him a charismatic leader known for administration and simplicity, Mr. Barnala said his death was an irreparable loss to the country, West Bengal in particular.

CPI (M) State secretary N. Varadarajan said: “He lived as a role model for all leftist, democratic, secular forces and an example for cleanliness in public life.” He called on CPI (M) workers to fly the party flag at half-mast all over the State for three days and to participate in large numbers in condolence processions organised by party units.

PMK founder S. Ramadoss said that Basu, who was the only person to be Chief Minister continuously for 23 years, had found a place in the hearts of the poor through his vigorous land redistribution efforts. He expressed his condolences to family and party members.

Union Minister G.K. Vasan said Basu was among the most important Left intellectuals who fought for Independence. In his 70 years in public life, he had shone as a defender of the rights of the underprivileged sections of society. Su. Thirunavukkarasar, former MP, said Basu’s demise was the end of an era.

K. Veeramani, president, Dravidar Kazhagam, said his death had created a deep void in public life.

Venu Srinivasan, president, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said: “During his [Basu’s] tenure, West Bengal played host to the maiden edition of Partnership Summit in 1995, CII’s flagship programme on building linkages across the globe. We had one more edition during his tenure and Shri Basu played a pivotal role in both these editions”.

Mukul Somany, chairman, CII – Eastern Region said that in Basu’s death, West Bengal had lost a towering icon, as also a wonderful human being who had devoted himself for the well being of the people of West Bengal.

 COIMBATORE: Political parties in Coimbatore paid on Sunday rich tributes to veteran Communist leader and former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu who passed away in Kolkata.

Representatives of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other parties described him as a true communist who strove for the uplift of the downtrodden sections and one who endeared himself to the masses by understanding their problems and working to solve these.

The CPI (M) organised a procession and a public meeting to mourn the party leader.

Party district secretary U.K. Vellingiri, Coimbatore Mayor R. Venkatachalam, former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP M. Ramanathan Coimbatore Corporation North Zone Chairman C. Padmanabhan and South Zone Chairman P. Pynthamil were among those who took part in these.

Coimbatore MP and former district secretary of the CPI (M) P.R. Natarjan said Mr. Basu’s land reforms that led to the poor being provided with several lakhs of acres was a path-breaking measure that sought to raise the living standards of the downtrodden.

Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary E.R. Easwaran said in a statement that apart from championing the cause of the marginalised sections, Mr. Basu also provided a clean and transparent administration as the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

His death was a loss not only for the CPI (M), but also for the entire nation, the statement said.

Various political leaders in Tirupur district also condoled the death of Mr. Basu.

The Tirupur-district unit of Communist Party of India (Marxist) would hold a condolence meeting on Monday.

Tirupur MLAC. Govindasamy described him as a great Communist who strengthened secularism and deepened democracy.

Former MP K. Subbarayan (CPI) described Mr. Basu as one of the last few leaders who belonged to the ‘gentleman era’. AICC member S.K. Kharventhan also mourned the death of Mr. Basu.

Imphal : As a mark of respect on the demise of former West Bengal Chief Minister and Marxist leader Jyoti Basu, the CPI (M) Manipur State Committee will observe week-long condolence session even as many political figures and leaders of other political parties have conveyed condolences on the passing away of the CPM matriarch.
According to CPI (M) Manipur's secretariat member Yumnam Ratan the party flag will fly at half mast for a week as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
state unit of the CPI held a condolence meeting at its head office here, today with B Sharma, who is the State secretariat member of the party later said, "He (Jyoti Basu) was a true leader not only of his party but also the whole nation.
He successfully led the Left movement to a great extent in the country" .
President of the MPP Dr Nimaichand Luwang also conveyed the party's condolence at the demise of Jyoti Basu.
"We deeply condole his demise.  The country has lost a great leader," he added.

HYDERABAD: Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, presidents of Telugu Desam, Praja Rajyam and Lok Satta parties N. Chandrababu Naidu, K. Chiranjeevi and Jayaprakash Narayan, respectively, on Sunday condoled the death of CPI(M) veteran and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.

In his condolence message, the Governor said Basu had the distinction of serving as Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1977 to 2000 with an impeccable track record. “He was a fine public-spirited leader of the masses. He will be long remembered for his role as a statesman of great repute,” he said.

In his message, Mr. Rosaiah said Basu was a true communist, statesman and a charismatic leader, who strode the Bengal political arena as a colossus for over six decades.

Mr. Naidu while praising the late leader’s long stint as Chief Minister said he had rendered yeomen service to the poor.

Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan observed that the greatest tribute one can pay to the CPI(M) leader was to imbibe his qualities of extraordinary moderation, restraint and reconciliation of conflicting interests and steadfast adherence to the middle path in a diverse society.

Bandaru Dattatreya, State BJP president, said the death was a loss to the nation. The CPI State Council hailed him as an intellectual who played a stellar role in the country’s Communist movement. Party secretary K. Narayana recalled his role as the committee chairman to resolve the irrigation water row between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The CPI(M) State Committee said in Basu’s death the country had suffered an irreparable loss. Party secretary B.V. Raghavulu recalled his visit to Diviseema during the 1977 cyclone and his plea to Jawaharlal Nehru to release Telangana farm leaders.

Meanwhile, former Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy will represent the State Government at the funeral in Kolkata on Tuesday.

GUNTUR: Rich tributes were paid to former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu who passed away on Sunday.

At a condolence meeting held at the Communist Party of India (Marxist) party office, party state committee member P. Murali Krishna said that Jyoti Basu was the tallest Marxist leader who had played a stellar role in raising the party esteem in the international arena. He reminded that Basu was the last of the nine Politburo members to pass away.

Party district secretary D. Rama Devi and Rythu Sangham secretary D. Narasimha Rao paid floral tributes to Basu.

KHAMMAM: The red flag was flown in a half mast on the Sundarayya Bhavan as the CPI(M) district unit mourned the demise of veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu on Sunday. Political leaders and elected representatives from different parties and trade unionists joined the CPI(M) leaders in condoling the death of the Marxist icon. Calling it an end of a great era of principled politics in the country, they said the communist movement had lost its patriarch.

Jyoti Basu had been to Khammam as part of his party campaign in 1978 and 1999. He had been a beacon of inspiration to the Communist cadres and the movement in the district as well as the state and he would remain so for ever, according to Thammineni Veerabhadram, party central committee member and former MP. He said Jyoti Basu in his 23 years of rule as the chief Minister of West Bengal had emerged as the man of the masses.

He had a splendid record in attending the problems of the poor people and the voiceless millions.

The strong mass base of the Marxist party in West Bengal owed to his reforms.

His commitment to values and integrity earned him a permanent place in the hearts of the people in the country, he added. CPI(M) district secretary Potineni Sudarshan Rao, who presided over the meeting, said Jyoti Basu had dedicated his life to building of the Marxist party as well as the Communist movement.

CPI(M) leaders Bugaveeti Sarala and Bandaruu Ravikumar and a host of others said the party as well as the country had lost a great leader.

TDP pays tributes

Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party Leader and Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao said the country had lost an able administrator and a towering personality. Garlanding the portrait of Jyoti Basu at the CPI(M) district office, he said the former Chief Minister of West Bengal would be remembered for ever for his crusade for the welfare of the downtrodden. Telugu Desam leaders Rayala Seshagiri Rao and Bikkasani Damodar also condoled the death of the Maxist leader.

Glowing tributes were paid to Jyoti Basu by the leadership of the Communist Party of India (CPI), which organised a condolence meeting at its district office in the evening. Bagam Hemanta Rao, party district secretary said Jyoti Basu had devoted his life for building the Communist movement and his success owed to his integrity and selfless efforts.

Puvvada Nageswara Rao, MLC, said Jyoti Basu was a great secular leader. His death created a void in Indian politics.

Kothagudem MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao said it would be difficult to fill the gap created by the death of Jyoti Basu not only in West Bengal but in Indian politics as well. T.V. Chowdhury, former district secretary of the CPI, said Basu had been the source of hope for millions of people.

VIJAYAWADA: People from all walks of life condoled the death of Former Chief Minister of West Bengal and doyen of the Communist party of India (Marxist) Jyoti Basu after news of his death reached here on Sunday evening.

Former MLA Adusumilli Jayaprakash, CPI city secretary and former MLA K.Subba Raju, South Central Railway Mazdoor Union divisional secretary P.S.Charan in separate statements condoled the death of the CPI(M) leader.

Vijayawada urban Tahasildhar N.Kankaiah recalled his association with Mr Basu, when he drove him around in a car for a week.

Mr. Basu had visited the city on four occasions. He came here for the unveiling of a pylon of party martyrs at Gannavaram in 1971.

He came to the city in 1977 en route to Divi Seema after thousands were killed by the tidal wave.

He came again to the city in the same year to attend the CPI(M) Central Committee that was held here. He came to the city again in 1982 to attend the CPI(M) 13th National Conference.

CPI(M) leaders from the state Puchalapalli Sundaraiah, Moturi Hanumantha Rao, and Lavu Balagangadhara Rao were contemporaries of Mr Basu.

Krishna district CPI (M) secretary V.Umamaheswara Rao was that SFI state president when Mr Basu visited the city.

VISAKHAPATNAM: The CPI (M) district committee at a condolence meeting on Sunday paid rich tributes to veteran Marxist leader and party Polit Bureau member Jyoti Basu.

District secretariat member V.S. Padmnabha Raju presided. District secretary Ch. Narsinga Rao garlanded a portrait of Jyoti Basu. A two-minute silence was observed.

Mr. Narsinga Rao said the country lost a great leader. As member of the party’s first Polit Bureau, he continued in that position for 45 years. Describing him as a tallest leader, he recalled his significant role in building the Communist movement . He held the Chief Minister’s post in West Bengal for 23 years.

Mr. Narsinga Rao said Jyoti Basu had played an unparalleled role in maintaining the best values in running the administration in West Bengal. “Following his path would be the fittest tribute to him,” he said. MLC M.V.S. Sarma recalled his unique ability to move people on issues and making them part of the party. Party city secretary K. Lokanadham was present.

Bangalore/GULBARGA: Several leaders, including Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Jagadish Shettar, have condoled the death of the former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, who passed away in Kolkata on Sunday.

Union Labour and Employment Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge, in a statement issued here said, his death was an irreparable loss to the communist movement in the country and it would be difficult to fill the void created by his death.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President R.V. Deshpande said Mr. Basu had refused the Prime Minister’s post when it was offered to him, preferring to give a value-based leadership to the people in his State for 23 years.

He added that the nation had lost a statesman.

Secretary-General of the All India University Employees’ Confederation M.B. Sajjan said Mr. Basu’s death was a great loss to the country in general and the working class in particular. District Secretary of the CPI Shoukat Ali Alur also condoled the death.

The State unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) paid rich tributes to its leader. In a condolence meeting at the party headquarters in Bangalore, the State Secretariat member G.C. Byya Reddy said that translating the dreams of the departed leader into reality would be the richest tribute one could pay to the unparallel democratic ideologue of the country.

Mr. Reddy said his death was not only a big loss for the Communist parties but also for all democratic and secular forces in the country as he was the “harbinger and saint” of equality and democracy.

He said that it was time for all democratic and secular- minded people to come together for forging the third alternative as Jyoti Basu had wished in the national interest. The party’s executive committee member Gurushanth said that the departed leader had an intimate relationship with the State, particularly Bangalore. He had visited the State several times, including during the party’s State-level convention held at Harihar.

Several units of the party in the city took a silent procession holding black flags along with the party flags, and paid homage at the party headquarters.

Various Leftist outfits in different parts of Kolar district, including Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), also mourned the veteran Marxist leader’s death.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) district unit hoisted the CPI(M) flag at half mast at the party office in Kolar. A two-minute silence was observed as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

Later, speaking at the condolence meeting, CPI(M) district secretary G. Arjunan recalled the contribution of Mr. Basu to the working class movement. “Organising a strong movement towards fulfilling his unfinished works would be a befitting tribute to Mr. Basu,” Mr. Arjunan said. In his address, CPI(M) State committee member and CITU district president Gandhinagar Narayanswamy said that in Jyoti Basu’s death the country had lost a good friend of the working class. District president of Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) P.R. Suryanarayan said Mr. Basu’s role in building a vast peasant movement in the country was memorable.

Kolar: Hundreds of activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and various affiliated organisations took out a silent procession carrying a portrait of CPI (M) leader Jyoti Basu in Kolar Gold Fields here on Sunday. Mr. Basu died on Sunday.

The procession started at Gilbert Corner and culminated at Gandhi Circle in Robertsonpet where a condolence meeting was held. CPI (M) district secretary G. Arjunan and KGF area committee secretary A.R. Babu addressed the gathering. State vice-president “Samudaya” Achyutan was present.

HASSAN: Activists of the DYFI, SFI, CITU and CPI (M) mourned the death of veteran Communist leader Jyoti Basu here on Sunday.

Dharmesh, secretary of the district unit of CITU, said Jyoti Basu was a great leader of the CPI(M) and the Left movement in India. An era ended with his passing away.

An ardent Communist, he was one of the few political leaders in Independent India who deepened democracy, strengthened secularism and brought the working class to the centre stage of Indian politics.

Mr. Dharmesh said that as Chief Minister of West Bengal for 23 years, his lasting contributions were land reforms, which gave land and security of tenure to millions of peasants; strengthening of panchayat institutions; and creation of an enduring atmosphere of secularism in the State.

V. Sukumar, president of the unit, said that throughout his life, Jyoti Basu supported the struggles of the working class.

Malnad Janapara Horata Samithi president H.A. Kishore Kumar said that the death of the CPI (M) leader had created a void in Indian politics.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leaders across the political spectrum have condoled the death of former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.

In separate messages, they described him as a leader of great personal qualities who had made unforgettable contributions to the growth of the Communist movement in the country. Mr. Basu’s administrative acumen, his role in taking the Communist movement to the political mainstream and the way he endeared himself to leaders cutting across political barriers found special mention in the condolence messages reaching newsrooms on Sunday.

Source of inspiration

CPI(M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan termed Mr. Basu as a leader who extremely related well with the people of Kerala and who played a key role in fostering the Left and democratic movement in the State. In a condolence message, Mr. Vijayan said Mr. Basu’s election tours of Kerala after 1964 had played a pivotal role in strengthening the presence of the Left in the minds of the people of the State. Mr. Basu was both the source of inspiration for the Left movement and the person singularly responsible for the Left path of governance in the country. Even when a popular leader, Mr. Basu was a model communist who stuck to the party framework, Mr. Vijayan said.

Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said Mr. Basu’s integration of parliamentary and organisational skills was exemplary. Dr. Isaac said the manner in which he integrated parliamentary and organisational activities was an example to all political leaders and a big lesson for the CPI(M) as well.

Pragmatic approach

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy described Mr. Basu as a leader who realised the role of the Left in Indian polity and tried to realise it in a pragmatic manner. He had dedicated his life spanning close to a century for the welfare of the downtrodden, Mr. Chandy said.

Home Minister and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Mr. Basu’s role in building the non-Congress secular and democratic political alternative in the country was critical. He was uncompromising in upholding the values of federalism. He abided by the party decisions and was a model for all Communists in that respect.

Friendship

Recalling his long friendship with Mr. Basu, veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran said Mr. Basu’s words carried special weight at the Chief Ministers’ conferences. Mr. Basu, he pointed out, had also played a major role in removing the blind anti-Congress sentiment among the Left.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala described Mr. Basu as a leader who had made stellar contributions for the growth of the Communist movement in the country.

Stainless personality

Calling Mr. Basu a stainless political personality, CPI State secretary Veliyam Bhargavan said his contributions as an organiser, revolutionary and administrator were invaluable. He could win the hearts of all sections of people and this had contributed in no small measure to the repeated electoral successes of the Left in West Bengal, the CPI leader said.

Veteran RSP leader K. Pankajakshan said Mr. Basu’s death was a loss not just for the people of Bengal but the whole nation. Party general secretary T.J. Chandrachoodan said Mr. Basu had shown to the country that Communists could not only wage class struggle but also be brilliant administrators.

Terming Mr. Basu the representative of an era, BJP State president V. Muraleedharan said he was a unique genius who contributed a new power and style to the democratic governance processes in the country.

BHUBANESWAR: The death of veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu was condoled by people hailing from different walks of life in Orissa on Sunday.

Mourning the demise of the leader who served as Chief Minister of West Bengal for 23 long years, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the country had lost an iconic leader with the death of Jyoti Basu. Terming the late Marxist leader as a tall leader in the country’s political arena, Mr. Patnaik said Jyoti Basu continued to play a significant role in national politics.

Among others who condoled the death of the former West Bengal Chief Minister include Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Bhupinder Singh and secretary of the CPI(M) State Committee Janardan Pati.

Glowing tributes were also paid to the Marxist patriarch at a condolence meeting organised by the Orissa unit of the CITU.