West Bengal govt. announces three-day State mourning

Kolkata, Jan 17 (ANI): West Bengal Government on Sunday evening announced a three-day state mourning in respect of former Chief Minister and Communist patriarch Jyoti Basu who died in the morning here.

The National Flag will fly half-mast during the mourning period in West Bengal.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Left Front Chairman Biman Bose said here on Sunday that all arrangements were being made for the funeral of veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu.

Outlining the funeral arrangements, Bose said, Jyoti Basu's body would be moved from his home to Communist Party of India (Marxist) headquarters at around 9.30 a.m on Monday, where it will be kept for the public to pay last respects.

Biman Bose also informed media that Basu's body will be donated to the hospital.

He informed that on Monday at around 4.30 p.m, Basu's body will be take to Vidhan Sabha Bhavan. The last journey will start from Vidhan Sabha Bhavan on Tuesday.

Bose said, leaders of different parties, and representatives and delegates from different countries are also expected to arrive to Kolkata.

Meanwhile, in a conference, West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee described Basu as "a guardian of the State and also the Left movement in the country".

CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said: "Jyoti Basu stood for the struggle of the working class. He has left us bereft because there will be none like him." (ANI)