People's Democracy

Snippets of the Last Journey

All flowers exhausted in Kolkata

At 10 a.m. in the morning itself, one couldn't find a single flower or garland unsold in any of the markets of Kolkata. New market, Gariyahat, Bidhan Nagar city market.. everywhere flowers were exhausted and thousands of people were still asking for flowers to pay homage to their beloved leader. Not finding flowers, they were even asking for petals but that too the flower shops couldn't deliver. Thousands of people had to go to the assembly with empty hands to pay their last homage. At the platform where the body of Comrade Jyoti Basu was kept in the assembly, security officials had a tough time managing the deluge of flowers, bouqets, wreaths and petals that kept continously pouring in.

96 Red flags with red roses

A group of Party members from Howrah had brought an 8-feet long bamboo structure made into a hammer and sickle shape, with 96 small Red flags and red roses arranged at the border to honour Comrade Jyoti Basu. They were carrying it with a lot of difficulty. Ultimately, they moved towards the platform and volunteers there took it and placed prominently to the left of the body of Comrade Basu.

For the next generation

Both Pranamita and Sunandita Basu had come from Jharkhand to pay the last respects to Comrade Basu. Overcoming all odds to cover their journey of over 450 kms, the couple reached Kolkata in  order to let their daughter have a glimpse of the last journey of the legendary leader. Hearing the death of Comrade Jyoti Basu, they could not contain themselves and decided to join the last journey. 

Condolence in Ship

MV Akbar was then sailing on its regular course from Port Blair towards Kolkata.  JB No More - the news descended like a lightning.  Silence was observed on board. After the ship docked in the Kolkata port, Kalyan Samata dragged his tired body to Alimuddin street to have a glimpse of Comrade Basu.

Ahens� story

Ahen was only six months old when Comrade Jyoti Basu as chief minister had inaugurated the Pulse Polio drive in Kolkata with Ahen himself. Today, Ahen�s father and mother too came along with him to pay their last respects to the great leader.

Quotes of common people who participated in the last journey (as carried in the media)

"Jyotibabu is my idol. I have attended almost all his public meetings... How could I not come to see him the last time?" -- ALOK RANJAN LAHIRI, 57, Belghoria (First in one of the two queues at the assembly, arrived at 3:45 a.m.)

"We started from home at 4 a.m. We couldn't miss the chance to catch a glimpse of our beloved leader" -- KAUSHIK BHATTACHARYA, 25, Dum Dum (first in the other queue)

"I knew Basu personally from the time I was 27. I used to call him Baba and his wife Ma." -- JAMSHED ALI MOLLAH, 56, Park Circus

"School was closed, so I decided to pay my respects directly, instead of watching the last rites on TV" -- SAYANTANI MONDAL, 15, Gariahat

"He is our gurudeb, our guardian. He came to us always. It was my duty to come to him now" -- SHEIKH OMAR ALI, 66, Wesst Midnapore

"I heard him speak from the podium when I was very young and since then he has been God to me" -- SUMANTA DUTTA MALLICK, 19, Garia, South 24-Paraganas

"He was a leader of the downtrodden. Even today he helped me sell all the 1000 roses I brought" -- TAPAS DATTA, 48, Habra, North 24 Paraganas

"I left home on Monday to reach here on time. He is our hero, our messaiah" -- KABERI GAURI, 52, Narajal, West Midnapore

"He was our leader. He solved so many of our problems. It was our duty to be here" -- ASHOL CHAKRABORTY, 68, Kardah, North 24 Paraganas.