Assam Chief Minister Sarbanadna Sonowal expressed his condolence at the demise of veteran Communist leader Somnath Chatterjee, who breathed his last on Monday morning.
In his condolence message, Chief Minister Sonowal said that with the death of Somnath Chatterjee, the country has lost an able son, who contributed greatly to the growth of parliamentary democracy in India.
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Also read: Assam born veteran Communist leader Somnath Chatterjee passes away
“During his long career as parliamentarian, he practiced value-based politics and strengthened the foundation of democratic traditions in the country. Widely respected across the country cutting across the party line, his death is an irreparable loss to the country,” stated Sonowal in his condolence message.
Remembering his tenure as the Speaker of Lok Sabha during 2004 to 2009, Sonowal said that his role as the Speaker in the House of the People gave a new meaning to the Chair.
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The Chief Minister also said that Somnath Chatterjee can be considered as an ambassador who took the values of Indian democratic traditions throughout the world. Somnath Chatterjee’s death will definitely create a void which will be hard to be filled, Sonowal added.
He also expressed his sympathy to the members of the bereaved family and prayed to the Almighty for eternal peace to the departed soul.
It may be mentioned that former Lok Sabha Speaker and veteran Communist leader Somnath Chatterjee passed away in Kolkata of West Bengal early at around 8:15 am.
He was 89 years old at the time of his demise.
The veteran politician had been put on ventilator support after being re-admitted to the hospital following kidney ailments. Chatterjee was born in Assam’s Tezpur during the colonial rule of the British on July 25 in 1929.
Chatterjee had served in active politics for over four decades.
He had served as the 13th Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Chatterjee was elected as member of Parliament for ten times from Bolpur, Jadhavpur and Bardhman in West Bengal.
He became a member of the Lok Sabha in 1971.
In his life, Chatterjee lost only one election – to now Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee in 1984, which made her the youngest parliamentarian at the age of 29 years.
He had Joined CPI-M in 1968 and was expelled from the party in 2008.