In a tribute to late West Bengal Assembly Speaker Hasim Abdul Halim, Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee today said he might have learnt the abc of politics from party supremo Mamata Banerjee, but when it came to parliamentary politics, it was "Halim Saheb" who had taught him all about it.
Speaking at a condolence meeting for Halim organised by the CPI-M today, Chatterjee, state Education Minister and TMC secretary-general, said, "Everything I have learnt in politics is from our leader Mamata Banerjee. She has taught me how to fight and how to stand for the right of the people... And from Halim Saheb I have learnt what parliamentary politics is all about."
Describing Halim as a "father-like figure", Chatterjee went on saying: "Halim Saheb was a different personality altogether... As a Speaker he (Halim) used to ask us such questions that I had to refer to the library of the Assembly."
Halim (80), who had created a record of serving as the Assembly Speaker for 29 years continuously from 1982 to 2011 during the Left Front rule, had passed away on November 3 after a cardiac arrest.
Describing Halim's passing away as a personal loss, Chatterjee also said that he had "lost an advisor" and the CPI-M lost its "political guardian".
The TMC leader said he was planning to write a book in which he would include his memories with the veteran leader. He even named the book, which is "Bidhansabhar Tukitaki and Halim saheb" .
The condolence meeting of Halim saw the Congress, the BJP and the CPI-M come together on the same platform.
Congress leader Om Prakash Mishra, BJP MLA Shamik Bhattacharjee, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, suspended CPI-M leader Abdur Rezzak Mollah were among other leaders from different parties who attended the meeting.
Halim's wife Taj Halim and two sons Dr Fuad Halim and Farooq Halim were also present at the meeting.
