Veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh dies at 94

Party leaders and supporters carry the body of veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh from a Kolkata nursing home on Thursday. (Photo: Abhijit Mukherjee)

Veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh passed away on Thursday morning. Ninety-four-year-old Ghosh, who had been on ventilator support for some time, breathed his last at 11.25 am at a private hospital on E.M. Bypass Road.

As senior CPI(M) and Citu leader Shyamal Chakraborty rightly said Ghosh’s death has brought an end to an era. Ghosh created a record of sorts by remaining the head of the Bengal unit of Forward Bloc — the party Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose founded — for over six decades.

In 1948, Ghosh became national convenor of Forward Bloc and took over as the state secretary in 1950. He remained the state chief of the party till his death.

He was also the last surviving founder member of the Left Front after the demise of Jyoti Basu.

CPI(M) state secretary and leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said Ghosh was not only a Forward Bloc chief, but also one of the tallest Left Front leaders.

“He played a vital role in organising Left democratic movement in the country. His contribution in the formation of the Left Front was also valuable. Today, the entire Left Front family has lost its guardian,” Mr Mishra said.

Like a well-meaning “guardian” Ghosh had tried to resolve the contentious Singur dispute by convening an all-party meeting which was attended by Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. Ghosh was unhappy with the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government’s land acquisition overdrive in Singur and Nandigram and he openly voiced his displeasure.

Describing him as a “leader of the masses”, education minister said that his death has created a void which is hard to fill. Mr Chatterjee also pointed out that Ghosh had a unique quality which made him a highly respectable personality even for his political and ideological opponents. “He shared an excellent personal rapport with Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerje,” he said.

Last year, Ms Banerjee surprised everyone by visiting Forward Bloc head office on Chittaranjan Avenue to wish Ghosh on his 93rd birthday. He also demonstrated his fondness and affection for her and treated her like his “younger sister”.

Ms Banerjee paid homage to the departed leader at Peace Haven-the private mortuary where Ghosh’s body will be kept till Friday.

On Saturday his body will be taken to the party office where it will be kept from 9 am to 11 am to enable people to pay their last respects. After 11 am, his funeral procession will begin and first visit Netaji’s iconic statue at Shyambazar crossing. From Shyambazar his body will be first taken to his ancestral home in Hooghly’s Chinsurah and then to Purulia on Saturday evening. It will be kept at the Forward Bloc office in Purulia for the night. On Sunday his last rites will be performed at Suisa Netaji Subhas Ashram in Purulia.