Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday heaped praises on late former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, saying that he was a firm defender of the Indian Constitution.
Speaking to media persons here, Yechury said, "Somnath Chatterjee was a firm defender of the foundations of the Indian Constitution, particularly, its secular and democratic foundations and federalism."
"In terms of parliamentary practices and maintaining parliamentary democracy in the functioning of the house, his record is impeccable. Many of his rulings are relied upon today as a basis for the functioning of Parliament," he added.
He also confirmed that Chaterjee's mortal remains will be donated for medical research. "Along with many other party leaders, he (Chatterjee) had donated his body for medical research. Before the handover of his body, the mortal remains will be kept at the party office, where last respects will be paid to him. Then the remains will be taken to the West Bengal assembly."
Meanwhile, CPI-M leader Biman Bose also paid his tributes to the ten-time MP. "We have lost a voice for the democracy. He used to fight for the common people. How his relations were with the party towards the end does not matter, what matters is that he was true to the party's ethics," Bose said.
Chatterjee, who was admitted in a private hospital in Kolkata on August 10, breathed his last at 8.15 am today. He had a cardiac arrest, according to the doctors.
One of the longest-serving parliamentarians in India, Chatterjee was suffering from a kidney ailment and was put on ventilator support on Saturday. He suffered a hemorrhagic stroke in July.
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