Jyoti Basu's centenary celebrations to begin July 8

KOLKATA: Release of a memorial volume, and year-long programmes throughout West Bengal highlighting his life and philosophy would mark late West Bengal Chief Minister and marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu's centenary celebrations beginning July 8.

Basu's s ideals that helped in consolidating the unity of the working class' movement would also be emphasised before the new generation workers and employees during the celebrations, the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) labour wing CITU's West Bengal committee said in a statement.

Bengal's legendary Marxist - born July 8, 1914 - was the founder-vice president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

The centenary celebrations would be launched through raising of the CITU flag and garlanding of Basu's portrait at its state headquarters Shramik BhawanJuly 8. Similar programmes would be organised in all offices of the CITU and its affiliate units through the day.

"All units across the state would host various programmes till July 8 next year. The programmes would highlight Basu's life and philosophy and initiatives would be taken to showcase his ideals that helped in the spread of the united movement of the working class," CITU state general secretary Dipak Dasgupta said in the statement.

In August, a book of tributes containing write-ups of the workers' and left movements would be brought out by CITU.

The organisation's state president and CPI(M) central committee member Shyamal Chakraborty has already appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to issue a set of postage stamps to mark the occasion.

Basu was at the helm of affairs in West Bengal for over 23 years from 1977, the longest chief ministerial tenure in India. He voluntarily stepped down Nov 6, 2000 due to ill health.

Basu almost became India's prime minister in 1996 at the head of a centre-Left United Front government. But the CPI-M vetoed the proposal, and the leader later dubbed the party's decision a "historical blunder". He died January 17, 2010.

Jyoti Basu's centenary celebrations to begin July 8 | Business Standard

CPI (M) prepares for Jyoti Basu birth centenary celebrations

Press Trust of India| June 4, 2013 Last Updated at 21:40 IST

KOLKATA: The CPI (M) would start preparations for celebrating the birth centenary of late chief minister and party leader Jyoti Basu from July 8.

"From that day, the party will prepare for a year-long birth centenary celebration of Jyoti Basu with due honour," the CPI(M) state committee said after a meeting here today.

The state committee said the celebrations would include spread of Marxist ideology and for extending mass organizations.

The party has already decided to set up a ‘Jyoti Basu centre for social studies and research’ at Rajarhat New Town in memory of the Marxist leader who died on January 17, 2010.

CPI (M) asks PM for postage stamp on Jyoti Basu

Kolkata, June 12, (IANS):  The CPI(M) has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to issue a set of postage stamps to mark the centenary of late West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu.

In a letter to Singh released to the media Wednesday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha member and central committee member Shyamal Chakraborty said Basu's centenary would be celebrated from July 8 this year to July 8 2014.

"I propose that your good office may kindly advice Department of Posts to publish a set of commemorative postage stamps in his name during his birth centenary," said Chakraborty.

An identical letter was sent to Communication and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal.

In his letter, Chakraborty refered to the role Basu played in India's political life after Independence.

"He (Basu) ran a government in a state for consecutive five terms. (He) had the widest experience of working with 10 out of 13 prime ministers of India. This may be reckoned as unprecedented record in the history of democracy."

Chakraborty also pointed out that during his stint as the country's finance minister between 1991 and 1996, Singh had worked with Basu.

Basu, born July 8, 1914, was at the helm of affairs in West Bengal for over 23 years from 1977, the longest chief ministerial tenure in India. He voluntarily stepped down in 2000 due to ill health.

Basu almost became India's prime minister in 1996 at the head of a centre-Left United Front government. But the CPI-M vetoed the proposal, and he later dubbed the party's decision a "historical blunder".

CPI (M) Polit Bureau Calls for Observe Birth Centenary of Jyoti Basu

New Delhi, June 15: July 8, 2013 marks the beginning of the birth centenary of Comrade Jyoti Basu, an outstanding leader of the Communist Party and the Left movement in India. Jyoti Basu, in his nearly seven decades of work as a Communist, left an indelible imprint on the political map of the country.  He joined the Communist Party in 1940 and began his work in the railway trade union movement. In 1946, he was elected to the Bengal Legislative Assembly from the Railway constituency.  Since then, in his long parliamentary career, he became the role model for all Communists and progressives on how to work in parliamentary institutions and serve the people.

Jyoti Basu played a key role in the development of the Communist Party in West Bengal and at the all-India level. He was the Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the CPI from 1954 to 1960. He became a member of the Central Committee of the CPI in 1951. When the CPI(M) was formed, he became one of the founder Polit Bureau and Central Committee members. 

Jyoti Basu became Chief Minister of the Left Front government of West Bengal in 1977 – a position he occupied continuously till 2000.  Before that, he was twice Deputy Chief Minister in the UF governments between 1967 and 1970.  Under his leadership, the government undertook the implementation of land reforms and the establishment of the panchayati raj system.

Under Jyoti Basu’s Chief Ministership, West Bengal became a bastion of communal harmony and secular values.  He played a leading role in advocating the restructuring of Centre-State relations and for establishing a federal system. 

Jyoti Basu was a leader who creatively applied Marxism to the concrete Indian conditions and made an immense contribution in charting out the course for the Party.

Jyoti Basu, in his lifetime, became a symbol for the Left, democratic and secular forces in the country.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) calls for a year-long celebration of the birth centenary of Jyoti Basu beginning from July 8, 2013.  The centenary will be observed by holding meetings, seminars and a special campaign to propagate the life and contributions of this invaluable leader.

From India News Network (INN)

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