Hyderabad: Veteran CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia, who was elected to Parliament nine times, passed away at a private hospital here on Monday due to ill health. He was 81.
Acharia was suffering from respiratory and other health issues and the end came at about 1 PM on Monday, CPI(M) Telangana state committee member D G Narasimha Rao said.
Acharia was staying in Hyderabad with his family members. His wife predeceased him, Rao said.
The body would be flown to West Bengal where the funeral would take place, he said.
Acharia is survived by two daughters and a son.
CPI(M) Telangana state committee condoled the death of Acharia.
Narasimha Rao and CITU leader M Saibabu paid homage to the mortal remains of the departed leader, a CPI(M) release said.
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also expressed profound grief at the death of Acharia.
“The Polit Bureau conveys its heartfelt condolences to his two daughters and son,” the CPI(M) said in a statement.
“Born on July 11, 1942, in Purulia, Acharia was involved in politics from his student life. He left his job as a school teacher and became a full time worker of the party. He was elected to the party’s Purulia district committee in 1981, to the West Bengal State Committee in 1985 and to the Central Committee of the party in 2005. In 2018, he was elected as the Chairman of the Central Control Commission,” it said.
Active in the trade union movement, Acharia was a leader mainly of the railway and coal workers. He was also one of the vice presidents of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
An outstanding parliamentarian, who always took up people’s issues, he was elected to the Lok Sabha for nine times from 1980 to 2009, the CPI(M) said.
The All India Kisan Sabha, the farmers’ wing of the CPI(M), also expressed deep shock at the passing away of Acharia.
“He took up issues of the farmers consistently both within the Parliament and outside, emphasising the need to implement the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission on remunerative prices. His role in evolving a pro-farmer Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR 2013) legislation won him wide respect across all farmers’ groups,” the AIKS said in a statement.
“The AIKS extends its heartfelt condolences to his son and daughters, family members and all comrades. He will continue to be an inspiration for generations to come,” it said.
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