Somnath Chatterjee was role-model MP: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

"The country has lost a parliamentarian who always fought for the rights of the people by using the floor of Parliament very effectively," Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Somnath Chatterjee was role-model MP: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Somnath Chatterjee was role-model MP: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday that former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee died at a time when parliamentary democracy and Constitutional values in the country are under "stress".
 
The country has lost a parliamentarian who always fought for the rights of the people by using the floor of Parliament very effectively. He was instrumental in exposing the Bofors scam and was a role model parliamentarian, said Vijayan in his condolences.

Former Chief Minister and veteran CPI-M leader V.S. Achuthanandan said: "Till his last, he stood very firmly for values. That was all the more evident when he was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. A huge loss for the CPI-M."

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said he was fortunate to sit beside Chatterjee in the Lok Sabha a few times and learned several things from the Communist veteran.

"He was a practical politician... He was one of the best speakers the country has had," he said.

Chatterjee breathed his last at a hospital in Kolkata on Monday morning. The 89-year-old was earlier admitted to the Bellevue Clinic in the city on June 25 after suffering a haemorrhagic stroke. According to reports, he had suffered a heart attack on August 7 and was put on ventilator support and doctors said his condition was critical.

He underwent treatment for 40 days and was discharged for three days after his health showed signs of improvement. However, he was re-admitted after his condition deteriorated last Tuesday.

Chatterjee, regarded as an outstanding parliamentarian, was a 10-time Lok Sabha MP and former central committee member of the CPI(M), and served as the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2004 to 2009.

He was given the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 1996 for his overall contribution to Parliament. 

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