Jyoti Basu was a great patriot and a great human: Chidambaram

New Delhi, Jan 17(ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday deeply condoled the demise of former West Bengal Chief Minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Jyoti Basu, who died at the AMRI Hospital in Kolkata of multiple-organ failure.

"It is a sad day for us as we remember the great son of India. He has served for many decades, not only the people of West Bengal, but India...he dedicated his entire life to the nation. He was a great patriot, great democrat and a great human," Chidambaram said.

"He suffered a lot for the last fortnight. I am deeply sad and offer my sincere condolences to the people and government of West Bengal," he added.

Basu was admitted to the hospital on January 1 with acute respiratory failure bordering on pneumonia. He was also undergoing treatment at the hospital for age-related ailments.

On Friday, doctors at the hospital said in a medical bulletin that his condition was very critical and hope for his survival was receding.

Basu served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for 24 years from 1977 to 2000. (ANI)