This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/8464746.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tributes to veteran Indian leader | Tributes to veteran Indian leader |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people in the Indian city of Calcutta have queued up outside a mortuary for a glimpse of communist leader Jyoti Basu's body. | |
| Mr Basu died at the age of 95 on Sunday after a long illness. Tributes have been pouring in from around the world. | Mr Basu died at the age of 95 on Sunday after a long illness. Tributes have been pouring in from around the world. |
| He was chief minister of West Bengal state from 1977 to 2000 and led the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM). | He was chief minister of West Bengal state from 1977 to 2000 and led the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM). |
| Mr Basu was credited with restoring stability to the state, and bringing in land reforms. | Mr Basu was credited with restoring stability to the state, and bringing in land reforms. |
| In 1996 he was offered the post of prime minister in a national left-of-centre coalition, but his party chose to support the government from outside the coalition. | In 1996 he was offered the post of prime minister in a national left-of-centre coalition, but his party chose to support the government from outside the coalition. |
| Mr Basu described his party's decision not to join the coalition as a "historic blunder." | Mr Basu described his party's decision not to join the coalition as a "historic blunder." |
| 'Pragmatic' | 'Pragmatic' |
| The Communist-led government of West Bengal has announced two days of mourning in the state. | The Communist-led government of West Bengal has announced two days of mourning in the state. |
| All state government offices are closed and the authorities have also requested private organisations to keep their offices closed on Monday. | All state government offices are closed and the authorities have also requested private organisations to keep their offices closed on Monday. |
| Thousands of people have gathered outside the mortuary despite the morning chill to pay tribute to Mr Basu, the BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta reports. | Thousands of people have gathered outside the mortuary despite the morning chill to pay tribute to Mr Basu, the BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta reports. |
| He made Communism look respectable Sabyasachi Basu Roy Choudhuri Obituary: Jyoti Basu | He made Communism look respectable Sabyasachi Basu Roy Choudhuri Obituary: Jyoti Basu |
| The body will be kept at the mortuary until Tuesday evening when it will be taken to the state-run SSKM hospital. | The body will be kept at the mortuary until Tuesday evening when it will be taken to the state-run SSKM hospital. |
| There will be no cremation - Mr Basu's body will be donated to medical research in accordance with his wishes. | There will be no cremation - Mr Basu's body will be donated to medical research in accordance with his wishes. |
| Mr Basu was India's most respected Communist leader. | Mr Basu was India's most respected Communist leader. |
| "He was one of independent India's most able administrators and politicians. I often turned to him for his sagacious advice... which was statesmanlike, always pragmatic and based on unshakeable values," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said. | "He was one of independent India's most able administrators and politicians. I often turned to him for his sagacious advice... which was statesmanlike, always pragmatic and based on unshakeable values," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said. |
| "His death ends a chapter in the country's politics," former PM and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Atal Behari Vajpayee said. | "His death ends a chapter in the country's politics," former PM and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Atal Behari Vajpayee said. |
| Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina described Mr Basu as "a great leader not only of India but also of South Asia". | Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina described Mr Basu as "a great leader not only of India but also of South Asia". |
| "We recall with deep gratitude his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh and conclusion of India-Bangladesh Ganges water-sharing treaty," she said. | "We recall with deep gratitude his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh and conclusion of India-Bangladesh Ganges water-sharing treaty," she said. |
| She is due to arrive in Calcutta on Tuesday to pay tribute to Mr Basu. | She is due to arrive in Calcutta on Tuesday to pay tribute to Mr Basu. |
| The Communist leader leaves behind a controversial legacy. | The Communist leader leaves behind a controversial legacy. |
| Though he undertook crucial land reforms in West Bengal state and empowered the peasantry, the state slid into industrial stagnation and the period of his rule was characterised by radical trade union activity. | Though he undertook crucial land reforms in West Bengal state and empowered the peasantry, the state slid into industrial stagnation and the period of his rule was characterised by radical trade union activity. |