Tripura ‘poet minister’ Anil Sarkar no more

Septuagenarian legendary Communist leader of Tripura and poet Anil Sarkar, who played a key role in 1971 Bangladesh liberation war, died in AIIMS in New Delhi on Monday night, a party leader said here Tuesday.

A two-day state mourning has been announced in Tripura from Tuesday.

Bangladesh’s civil aviation and tourism minister and Workers Party of Bangladesh’s President Rashed Khan Menon sent a condolence message to the state CPI-M office here expressing his deep sorrow over the death of Sarkar.

Sarkar played a pivotal role to provide relief and shelter to lakhs of refugees sheltered in Tripura during the nine-month long Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.

In fact Sarkar as tribute to the Language Martyrs of Bangladesh had started the celebration of International Mother Language Day in Tripura annually on 21 February even before the declaration by UNESCO on Nov 17, 1999.

Sarkar, 76, is survived by his only son.

His wife Jyotiprava Sarkar died less than five months ago.

“Sarkar died after a few months battle in the AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in New Delhi and Kolkata hospitals. His body was brought back here Tuesday and would be kept at the party office for people’s last respect,” CPI-M Tripura state secretary Bijan Dhar told reporters.

“As a mark of respect to the departed leader, who was also the state planning board vice-chairman, the state government declared a holiday on Tuesday. Two-day state mourning has been announced from Tuesday,” an official release said.

The ongoing budget session of the Tripura assembly was suspended on Tuesday as a mark of respect to the veteran legislators and former minister. The budget for the 2015-16 was scheduled to be presented Tuesday.

Sarkar’s body would be cremated with full state honours on Wednesday at the Battala mass cremation ground here.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat, his wife and party’s politburo member Brinda Karat visited the AIIMS in New Delhi Monday night and paid their last respect.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, leaders of all political parties cutting across party lines expressed their condolences over the death of the veteran Communist leader, who was the unchallenged leader of scheduled castes in the state.

A teacher turned politician, Sarkar was a minister in six of the seven Left Front governments since 1978. He was elected to the state assembly a record nine times since Tripura become a full fledged state in January 1972.

He compiled 24 books mostly on literature and received many awards from different government and non-government organisations for his literary works. He was a popular poet in the region and played a vital role in socio-cultural movement and upliftment of the downtrodden.

Sarkar, a student of the Ishwar Pathshala of Comilla did his Masters in Bangla from Calcutta University and joined in Communist Party of India in 1956.