People's Democracy

Thousands Bid Respectful Farewell

THE deep respect and love commanded by Comrade Nripen Chakraborty in the hearts of the people of Tripura due to his seven-decades long pioneering activities in the communist movement of the country was evident when he passed away. Not only did a pall of gloom descend on the entire state at his demise but also there was a mammoth participation of people in his funeral procession. All this proved that the gap of just a decade at the fag end of Comrade Nripen Chakraborty’s life had by no means dislodged him from the hearts of the people.

From mid-day of December 26 itself innumerable people with a heavy heart and tearful eyes began awaiting the arrival of the mortal remains of the departed leader, which were flown by air from Kolkata to Agartala. Thousands of people thronged the two sides of the 12 km stretch of road from the airport to the town, long before the arrival of the flight at about 4.00 pm to catch a glimpse of the legendary leader.

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and state chief minister, Manik Sarkar and his cabinet colleagues paid floral tributes to Comrade Nripen Chakraborty at the airport itself. The Party state secretariat members led by state secretary Baidyanath Majumder also paid floral tributes. The hearse of the departed leader, accompanied by a long motorcade, reached the Party state headquarters at about 7.00 pm. It travelled, amidst a deluge of grief-stricken but disciplined and respectful crowd everywhere, via his house at Banamalipur and the state assembly building where floral tributes were paid by the speaker, deputy speaker, opposition members and the state governor.

At the CPI(M) headquarters, the mortal remains of the recently re-inducted leader was draped in Red flag by Baidyanath Majumder. Here wreaths were laid by the Party central committee member Bijan Dhar, and Aghore Debbarma, along with several state committee members and leaders of various mass organisations. The mortal remains of the departed leader were then brought to the Party Sadar divisional hadquarters nearby where too interminable streams of people went on paying floral tributes, including several leaders of the Left Front and its frontal organisations.

The funeral procession originated from here at about 12.00 noon with 96 half-mast Red flags at the vanguard, followed by the hearse of Comrade Nripen Chakraborty. Thousands of Party activists and supporters as well as ordinary people marched in the funeral procession. The body was cremated with full state honour at Bat-Tala burning ghat.

In a statement issued on December 25, the CPI(M) state secretariat has remembered with profound respect the contribution made by Comrade Nripen Chakraborty as a life long revolutionary. He was described as a pioneer of India communist movement, a bridge-builder in ethnic harmony and a front-line leader in the struggle for development of Tripura.

The statements of condolence pouring in from chief minister Manik Sarkar, and numerous mass organisations in the state underscore the closing of a crucial and colourful chapter in the communist movement of the country with the passing away of Comrade Nripen Chakraborty. Their respect for the man whose life was pivoted on the struggle to bring about a new dawn in the backward and impoverished Tripura was evident in the farewell accorded to him. (INN)