Communist song,flag dominate state funeral

But Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti had a completely different take on this. Though he refused to comment on the band choosing to play Communist International,he said that playing the national anthem was not befitting. “It was a condolence meeting. Here national anthem was not befitting,” Chakrabarti said.

All through the day’s proceedings,it seemed there was a debate whether to adorn the veteran leader with the CPM’s red flag or the Tricolour. And in the end,the comrades had their way as most of the time the Communist flag was seen over the Marxist patriarch.

The procession,which started from Peace Haven at 7.30 am,had Basu’s body wrapped in the red party flag. Later,at the West Bengal State Assembly Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid their tributes to the leader.

At the Assembly,the body was formally handed over to the Indian Army and here again the red flag made a comeback. At Mohur Kunj,where Basu was to be given a formal gun salute,the Kolkata Police played “Last Post” followed by the 21-gun salute in accordance with the proceedings of a state funeral. However,to everyone’s surprise,minutes after it the band started playing Jago Jago Sarbohara — the Bengali version of Communist International.

Senior CPM leader Mohammed Selim defended it saying the day’s proceeding was “partly a CPM programme and partly the state government”. “The programme at the Assembly and the gun salute were that of the state government,” said Selim.

We are deeply shocked at the death of India’s senior politician and Bangladesh’s good friend Shri Jyoti Basu. His death has left a great void in the political sphere of the sub-continent. He helped us a lot during 1971 war. We pay our deep respect to him and his bereaved family.

Shiekh Hasina,Bangladesh Prime Minister

On behalf of the Congress party and on my own behalf,I mourn the death of Comrade Basu,a legend of vision and accomplishment,idealism and high values and practical realism who served his people,his country,his party with total dedication and absolute selflessness.

Sonia Gandhi,Congress president

With the passing away of Jyoti Babu,an era has come to an end. He moved like a veritable colossus in the domain of Indian politics.

Pranab Mukherjee,Union Finance Minister

If the passing away of an individual leader can very correctly be described as an end of an era,it is the demise of Shri Jyoti Basu. A great stalwart of the Marxist movement has passed away.

L K Advani,Former deputy PM and senior BJP leader