Skip to main content

Laal Selaam, Jyoti Babu

Jyoti Basu, veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) Leader and the path finder of Communism in India has left for heavenly abode this morning. He was 95 years old. He was ailing for a long time and was fighting hard, until he lost his final fight to multiple organ failure and passed away today (Jan 17, 2010) at 11:47 AM in AMRI, Kolkata.

I never met him; I remember going to mass addresses of other leaders and Prime Ministers of India when they used to go to Agartala, but I don’t remember of going in any of his gatherings. Having said so, Jyoti Babu has always had a lasting impact on the people of Tripura. Everyone in the state always looked forward to Jyoti Basu and his contribution towards development of Tripura. The state being only the third communist state in India, was very close to Jyoti Basu’s heart.

Jyoti Babu, was the longest serving chief minister of West Bengal (and the country) and he served for a period of 23 long years, since 1977 till 2000 when he left all public appearances. In 1996, when the NDA government was going to form, he was requested to become the Prime Minister, to which the CPI(M) party disagreed. Basu later called it as, “Historical Blunder” for the communist party and the communist ideology.

I remember a childhood incidence when a child in school was asked about the chief minister of Tripura and he steadily pronounced the name of Jyoti Basu. Thus was the impact of the pragmatic leader. He had a long political career of 60 years, since he came back from London in 1940 and joined the communist party in West Bengal. He was a London returned barrister and could have earned a huge fortune for himself in those times, but he chose to serve the people and took to politics.

I know how much my father is hurt today. I talked with him the moment I heard the saddening news. He would not shed tears, but deep inside, he would cry rivers today; for he has seen Jyoti Babu from close vicinity and have known him since long. Same goes for my father in law. I talked to him too. They pretended to be sound and tough over the phone, but I know – I know what is going through their hearts and millions of communists and Bengalis in and out of Bengal.

I wish I would have known the leader more closely and could have learnt something from his ideologies, but life never gave me that opportunity. Now that he is no more with us, I would not get the opportunity ever again. I am happy that I lived during his lifetime – I’m honored more!

As a last gesture towards humanity and the cause he lived for, he left his whole body for medical and scientific research. This tells the story of a man, who lived for the people and when he died, he was only thinking of his own people.

I render a Red Salute to Comrade Jyoti Basu. May his soul rest in peace! Long live Communism! Long live Jyoti Basu’s legacy!
Labels:

Comments

Pranav Kumar V said…
Lal Salaam to Jyoti Babu!

And more respects to him as I just learnt he used to read Wodehouse to chill off at times... Now's that's really some open mind for a Marxist!!

See you when I see you... :D
January 17, 2010 at 10:04 PM
BK Chowla, said…
May his souls rest in peace
January 18, 2010 at 1:16 PM
Ayesha Parveen said…
A good write-up on the departed leader. Thanks.
January 20, 2010 at 7:28 AM
Post a Comment

Also read

Does India need communal parties?

I think, it was Tan's post on this blog itself, Republic Day Event, where this question was raised. My answer. YES. we need communal parties even in Independent, Secular India. Now let me take you, back to events before 1947. When India was a colony of the British Empire. The congress party, in its attempt to gain momentum for the independence movement, heavily used Hinduism, an example of which is the famous Ganesh Utsav held in Mumbai every year. Who complains? No one. But at that time, due to various policies of the congress, Muslims started feeling alienated. Jinnah, in these times, got stubborn over the need of Pakistan and he did find a lot of supporters. Congress, up till late 1940's never got bothered by it. And why should we? Who complains? No one. But there were repercussions. The way people were butchered and slaughtered during that brief time when India got partitioned, was even worse than a civil war scenario. All in the name of religion. And there indeed was cr...
40 comments
Read more

Union Budget India 2026-2027: 12 shocking truths that affect your wallet and future

The Union Budget India 2026-2027 is more than numbers on paper. It’s a mirror of promises, propaganda, and practical policies. This article breaks down what’s truly useful for you—jobs, taxes, inflation, and infrastructure—while cutting through the noise. Think of it as a friendly guide that explains the budget like a story, not a spreadsheet. Why does the Union Budget India 2026-2027 matter to you? India’s fiscal deficit for 2026–27 is pegged at nearly ₹17 lakh crore, while interest payments alone consume over ₹14 lakh crore. This means most of what the government borrows is not funding new projects but servicing old debt—a cycle that resembles “evergreening” of loans. Despite record tax collections, a large share is swallowed by debt servicing rather than fresh development. Breaking Down the Numbers Fiscal Deficit (FY27) : ₹16.95 lakh crore, or 4.3% of GDP . Interest Payments : Over ₹14 lakh crore, making it the single largest expenditure item. Total Expenditure : Around ₹53....
Post a Comment
Read more

Debate : Do the ends justify the means...

Note : Give it all a fair thought before you jot down... Flaming and religion-bashing will not be tolerated. Your participation is gladly appreciated. I dunno if you folks remember this incident; a couple of yrs back, the UPSC exam had a question where the emainee had to assert his views on *revolutionary terrorism* initiated by Bhagat Singh. As is typical of the government, hue and cry was not far behind... Anyway, let us look at some facts -   Bhagat Singh was an atheist, considered to be one of the earliest Marxist in India and in line with hi thinking, he renamed the Hindustan Republican Party and called it the Hindustan Socialist Revolutionary Party. Bhagat Finally, awaiting his own execution for the murder of Saunders, Bhagat Singh at the young age of 24 studied Marxism thoroughly and wrote a profound pamphlet “Why I am an Atheist.” which is an ideological statement in itself. The circumstances of his death and execution are worth recounting. Although, Bhagat Singh had a...
30 comments
Read more