Somnath Chatterjee’s family refuses CPI(M)’s offer to take his mortal remains to party office

Kolkata: After the demise of former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Monday, the late leader’s family has refused CPI(M)’s offer of draping his body in the party flag, as well as taking the mortal remains of the leader to the party headquarters at Alimuddin Street.

Chatterjee’s daughter Anushila said, “CPI (M) offered red flag today which we refused to accept. For him party was the priority despite the fact that he was expelled. The saddest moment of his life was when he was expelled despite dedicating his whole life to the party.”

In 2008, Chatterjee was expelled by the CPI(M) citing “serious compromise in the position of the party” upon his refusal to step down as the Speaker, a position which he believed was independent and unbiased.

Somnath Chatterjee’s grandson Sashwata Chatterjee too confirmed that his body will not be taken to the state CPI (M) office. “No we are not taking his body to the party office. It will be taken to the Calcutta High Court, state Assembly, to our house and finally at SSKM College and Hospital as he donated his body,” said Sashwata.

The CPI(M), on its part, said that the party did want to take the late leader’s body to the party headquarters, but blamed “technical failure” for having failed in their attempt. “As far as I know, party tried but failed. The failure happened due to some technical reasons,” said former CPI(M) minister Kanti Ganguly. This came after CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that “the mortal remains will be kept at party office where last respects will be paid to him”.

Somnath Chatterjee, the first communist in the country to don the role of a Speaker, was defeated only once by now West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in 1984. “He was a great leader and it is a personal loss to me. As per plan, his body will be taken to the Calcutta High Court and from there to the state Assembly where we will give him the highest respect with gun salute. Then his body will be taken to his house (Raja Basanta Roy Road in South Kolkata) and then to SSKM College and Hospital as he donated his body,” said Mamata.

Somnath Chatterjee passed away at the age of 89 at a private hospital on Monday morning following multiple organ failure.