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Funeral of Indian leader begins Thousands mourn communist leader
(about 8 hours later)
The funeral ceremony for India's veteran communist leader Jyoti Basu has began in the eastern city of Calcutta. Tens of thousands of people have attended the funeral procession of Indian communist leader Jyoti Basu.
Mr Basu's body has been taken in a convoy from the Peace Haven mortuary to the headquarters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM). Draped in the national flag, Mr Basu's body was driven through the streets of Calcutta on a gun carriage. Political leaders from across India were present.
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 aged 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 CPM party. He led West Bengal state from 1977 to 2000 and was credited with restoring stability and introducing 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.
Mr Basu described his party's decision not to join the coalition as a "historic blunder."
TributesTributes
Mr Basu's body will be kept at the party headquarters for an hour to allow party leaders to pay their last respects to their leader. The veteran leader's body was first driven in a cortege from the Peace Haven mortuary to the headquarters of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) in Calcutta. Party leaders spent an hour paying their last respects.
Later, it will be taken to the state secretariat at Writers' Buildings and the Bengal legislative assembly, where Mr Basu spent much of his six decade-long political career.
Obituary: Jyoti BasuObituary: Jyoti Basu
The body will be kept at the assembly for five hours. Later, the cortege moved on to the state secretariat at the Writers' Buildings and the Bengal legislative assembly, where Mr Basu spent much of his six decade-long political career.
Senior Indian politicians - including the leader of the governing Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, and Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani - and Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be in Calcutta to pay tributes to Mr Basu. The body was kept at the assembly for five hours, during which time senior politicians - including the leader of India's governing Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani - paid their last respects.
Later in the day, his body will be taken to the Citizens' Park near the Victoria Memorial monument and then handed over to the government-run SSKM hospital. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also present.
There will be no cremation - Mr Basu's body will be donated to medical research in accordance with his wishes. Mr Basu's body was then taken to Citizens' Park near the Victoria Memorial monument, where he was given a gun salute.
On Monday, tens of thousands of people filed past his body at the Peace Haven mortuary to pay tribute to him. There will be no cremation. In accordance with Mr Basu's wishes, his body is being donated to medical research.
'Pragmatist'
Mr Basu was India's most respected communist leader.Mr Basu was India's most respected communist leader.
On Monday, tens of thousands of people filed past his body at the mortuary to pay tribute to him.
"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 BJP 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". The BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta says Mr Basu leaves behind a controversial legacy.
The communist leader leaves behind a controversial legacy. Although 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, our correspondent says.
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. In 1996 Mr Basu 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 called the decision a "historic blunder".