Jyoti Basu dies

17Jan:Kolkata:Veteran CPM leader Jyoti Basu been West Bengal CM for 23 years as he became chief minister of West Bengal June 21, 1977,headed the Left Front government till Nov 6, 2000, straddled Indian politics for over six decades,died at AMRI hospital in Salt Lake City, Kolkata today 17 Jan 2010,where he was admitted with pneumonia on January one died here today of multi-organ failure.

The former West Bengal Chief Minister was 95 and is survived by son Chandan,who is an industrialist. His wife Kamal pre-deceased him four years ago.He Graduated from Presidency College with honours in English. He did his Bar at Law from London during study law, was drawn to the communist movement, which he formally joined following his return to India in 1940,reached pinnacle of his political career in 1996,when he was coalition choice of prime minister of India could not make it after his party's veto. He later called the party decision a "historic blunder".

Hamid Ansari has deeply condoled the death of veteran CPIM leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said he had turned to the veteran Marxist leader on many occasions for his advice on important issues and the response was always pragmatic.Singh said the death of the 95-year-old CPI(M) leader marked the end of an era in the annals of Indian politics.He was a man of great integrity with a deep commitment to secular values, the Prime Minister said in his condolence message."I have personally had a very long association with Shri Basu. On many occasions in my career, I turned to him for his sagacious advice on all matters, whether they related to West Bengal or to issues of national importance."Singh said he was "a powerful regional voice in the national political scene and helped to strengthen Indian federalism.""Shri Basu will be remembered by the people of West Bengal for bringing stability and order to the State after the turbulent period of the early 70s and for the rural transformation he brought about through his visionary land reforms and his style of democratic and decentralised governance," Singh said.

Home Minister P Chidambram was in the city rushed to hospital to offer condolences."I offer my sincere condolence to his family and the people of West Bengal", P Chidambaram said.

Dr Ajit Kumar Maity said that the veteran leader breathed his last at 11:47 am at the AMRI Hospital.Biman Bose, the Chairman of the Left Front coordination committee, announced to reporters a little around 1230 hrs.PM sends condolences message to the departed leader.As the news of departed leader spread the condolence message shall pour from India and abroad.

BJP today condoled the death of veteran Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu, describing him as one of the tallest contemporary leaders of Indian politics.Senior BJP leader and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said Basu was a man "committed to the service of his people, his ideology and a sense of idealism".

Congress condoled his demise."It's a very sad development not only for West Bengal or CPI-M but for the country as a whole. The country has lost one of its worthiest sons," party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad said.Basu stood for simplicity and firmness at the same time in public life and "his death is a loss for the nation," he said.

NDTV tweet message informs that Jyoti Basu's cremation on Tuesday,Jyoti Basu's eyes will be donated.Delhi CM Shiela Dikhshit described Basu death an end of an era.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee seeks 3-day state mourning to regret the death of Basu.Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today described Marxist icon Jyoti Basu as a "great political figure" and called for a 72-hour state mourning."I think we all should observe a three-day state mourning across the country to pay homage to such a great political figure of Indian politics," the Trinamool Congress leader told reporters here.

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters he had lost a great well-wisher with the demise of Communist veteran Jyoti Basu."In his death, I lost a great well wisher, the country has lost an able administrator, an outstanding parliamentarian and a charismatic political leader,"today afternoon.Mukherjee further adds he was the "architect of the first UPA-United Progressive Alliance government in 2004 that had been supported by the Left parties from outside".

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader A B Bardhan said Basu was the "tallest leader"."He also fought to the end. We express our heartfelt sadness on his demise," Bardhan said."Basu fought for the poor and the downtrodden," he said.As condolences poured from all over, the All India Forward Bloc described the passing away of Basu as a "a big and irreparable loss... for the entire Left, working class and progressive movement of the country".