Kolkata: Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee passed away at 8.15 AM on Monday at a private hospital in South Kolkata. He was 89.
Ten-time MP as a CPI(M) leader and the first Bengali Speaker in Lok Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee suffered a massive cardiac arrest on Sunday while undergoing treatment and was put on life support system since last week.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday condoled the death of former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
In his condolence message, the President said, “Sorry to hear of the passing of Mr Somnath Chatterjee, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and a veteran parliamentarian who had a forceful presence in the House. A loss for public life in Bengal and India. My condolences to his family and innumerable well-wishers.”
The Prime Minister wrote on the Twitter, “Former MP and Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was a stalwart of Indian politics. He made our Parliamentary democracy richer and was a strong voice for the well-being of the poor and vulnerable. Anguished by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and supporters.”
In a post on social media, Congress president said, “I mourn the passing away of Somnath Chatterjee, 10 term MP and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He was an institution. Greatly respected and admired by all parliamentarians, across party lines. My condolences to his family at this time of grief. ” (UNI)