Kolkata: Veteran Trinamool Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee was cremated with full state honours in Kolkata on Friday evening, with political leaders cutting across party lines paying their last respect to him. The 'evergreen' leader was given the gun salute at the Keoratola crematorium on Friday.
The state Panchayats and Rural Development minister, who survived by his wife Chandobani Mukherjee, passed away at the age of 75 at 9.22 pm following a severe heart attack at SSKM Hospital on the day of Kali Puja on Thursday.
Thousands of people from all walks of life, including politicians, college-goers and Durga Puja organisers walked following a flower-bedecked hearse that carried his mortal frame to Keoratala crematorium where the mortal remains of the Information and Cultural Affairs minister of Siddhartha Shankar Roy's Cabinet were consigned to flames with full state hours.
Trinamool Congress All India general secretary Abhishek Banerjee paid his homage to the leader at Keoratala crematorium where the minister was given a gun salute and his mortal remains were consigned to flames.
Mukherjee, who was admitted to SSKM Hospital on October 24 and underwent angioplasty during which two stents were installed on November 1, was recuperating fast.
Workaholic Mukherjee even went through important files from the SSKM's Woodburn Ward's cabin on Wednesday. He even spoke to doctors, relatives and some political leaders. He also walked on the corridor of Woodburn Ward on Thursday evening. He came back to his cabin and complained of uneasiness and chest pain at around 7 pm on Thursday. Doctors were informed, but his health condition turned from bad to worse. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was busy in Kali Puja at her house, first sent the state Youth Service minister Aroop Biswas. Later, she herself rushed to the hospital. Coming out of the Woodburn Ward, she broke the death news. "I have faced many turmoils and ups and downs in my life. But this is unbearable. This is a major blow for me. I will not be able to attend his funeral procession. It is not possible for me to look at his mortal remains," Banerjee said with a heavy heart.
Mukherjee, who initiated his political career as a Chhatra Parishad leader and became its state president, was first elected as an MLA from Ballygunge in 1971 defeating Jyoti Bhattacharya of the Workers' Party. He again won in 1972 Assembly elections and became a minister. He was inducted in the Cabinet of Siddhartha Shankar Roy as the youngest member who was only 26 years old then in 1972. From 1982 to 1996 he was an MLA from Jorabagan. He also became MLA from the Choringhee Assembly constituency.
Mukherjee had joined Trinamool Congress leaving Congress in 1999 and became the Mayor of Kolkata in 2000. It was in 2011 that he was made the state Panchayats and Rural Development minister. He held the post till he breathed his last. He won from Ballygunge Assembly constituency for the last three terms since 2011.
The mortal remains of Mukherjee, who was in active politics for more than 50 years and was also close to Indira Gandhi, was taken to Peace World on Thursday night.
Following directions of the Chief Minister, state Youth services minister Aroop Biswas, state Transport minister Firhad Hakim, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Chandrima Bhattacharya and Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs department Indranil Sen ensured that Mukherjee's last rites took place without any problem.
At 10 am on Friday, his mortal frame was taken to Rabindra Sadan where leaders of all political parties paid their respect. Senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including Ashok Deb, Saugata Roy, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and Babul Supriyo also paid their respect to the departed leader. Senior Congress leaders, including Asit Mitra, Abdul Mannan and Pradip Bhattacharya also went to Rabindra Sadan. Shamik Bhattacharya, Dilip Ghosh, Rahul Sinha and Jayprakash Majumderwere among the BJP leaders who paid their respect to the leader. Sinha said: "It is a major loss for Bengal politics. He used to talk to people across political lines."
Left Front leaders, including Kanti Ganguly and Surya Kanta Mishra went to Rabindra Sadan and paid their respect. Mishra said: "Mukherjee's contribution towards the Panchayat system will always be remembered". Munmun Sen also paid her respect to the leader at Rabindra Sadan. Subrata Bhattacharya, former Mohun Bagan skipper and Debabrata Sarkar of East Bengal paid their tribute and recollected Mukherjee's love for sports. The mortal remains were taken to the state Assembly at around 2 pm where Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay and state Parliamentary Affairs minister Partha Chatterjee paid their last respect.
It was an emotional farewell for the people of Ballygunge after his mortal remains reached his residence from where it was taken to his club — Ekdalia Evergreen. Thousands of people stood along both sides of the road and crowded rooftops in nearby houses to get a final glimpse of their favourite leader. Mukherjee's sister Tanima Bhattacharya broke into tears while saying that they had made all preparations for 'bhai phonta' as their elder brother was to get released from the hospital on Friday.