THE sullen skies loaded with heavy, rain-bearing clouds opened up, as the last remains of the veteran communist leader, comrade Sailen Dasgupta were consigned to flames in a south Kolkata crematorium. Earlier, his body had been taken to his humble abode in the Laxminarayan colony at Garia in the southernmost tip of the metropolis where thousands of people gathered to offer their last homage to the departed leader.

Later, his body was lying in state at the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan where the succeeding generation of the central leadership of the CPI (M) with whom the late comrade Sailen Dasgupta had worked closely for a cause that all of them deeply believed in, placed wreath of white flowers and offered him their red salute. N Prasada Rao, Jyoti Basu, Samar Mukherjee, S R Pillai, P Ramachandran, Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, Biman Basu, Anil Biswas, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee… the entire array of the highest echelon of the CPI (M) leadership paid their heartfelt last respects to their fellow comrade-in-arms of very many years.

The entire state committee of the Bengal unit of the CPI (M) placed wreaths, as did the leadership of the different mass fronts. Homage was forthcoming from every constituent of the Left Front. A few leaders of the Congress, the Trinamul Congress, and the BJP, too, came and paid their final respects to the late CPI (M) leader. A long serpentine queue formed outside of the Muzaffar Ahmad Bhavan as hundreds of thousands of people from every walk of life sought to have a last glimpse of the leader they could identify themselves with.

Thereafter a virtual sea of humanity carried the last remains of the late comrade Sailen Dasgupta in a procession that flooded the streets of Kolkata as it slowly wound its way towards the final destination. Bearing a myriad of red Flags, carried at half-mast, the marchers were led by senior leaders of the CPI (M) and the Left Front.

As the electric pyre lighted up, one could feel the sudden release of emotions breaking out all around as the modest life of a dedicated communist revolutionary drew to a close. Rain kept on pouring from a darkening sky overhead.