Journalism is not an easy profession. In a world where the popular perception is that the degree is enough to land yourself a job, the hard truth is that end of the day your commitment counts for your survival. As a journalist in the initial days of my career I covered the education and railway beat and then went on to deliver as a desk writer. From a regional satrap when I made the switch to a national bureau I was bombarded with copies of diverse genres and needless to say I had to deliver from Day 1.
One of the core genres where I seriously wrote copy was Indian politics and had the great fortune of carving out multiple copies on usual happenings, state elections and even the general election of 2014, which was a great learning curve. Parliament forms a critical part of the Indian polity where debates are held and crucial legislations are given shape.
While I have a lot more to learn and deliver on, one of the most striking memories of writing on Parliament related issues is that of ex – Lok Sabha speaker and late Marxist veteran, Somnath Chatterjee.
Even as politicians lack the ability to digest the truth and fear going against the grain of life in politics, Somnath Chatterjee stood out in the crowd. He went against his own part the Communist Party of India ( Marxist ) which led to his expulsion. Despite being one of the giants of the Left, he stood for principles and did not bother about consequences.
For calling a spade a spade, Chatterjee, the Bengali Bhadralok faded into political oblivion but will always be remembered as someone who was politically forthright. Chatterjee stood his ground when it came to his reservations on the nuclear deal. He spent 40 years in the Lok Sabha but was unceremoniously kicked out of CPI(M).
He was well recorded for his debating skills with extensive knowledge of national and international issues, in a baritone voice, interspersed with wit and humour.
He had during the debates in Parliament taken a impartial stand on the nuclear deal which was a historical moment in the Parliamentary democracy of India. Those in the know had been quoted back then saying that if the fortunes of the Left nosedived it was because of the expulsion of Chatterjee.
He was sent to Lok Sabha by the people of the state for record 10-time and was a towering leader of party. He was the only communist to be made Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The historic expulsion happened during a tussle between CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and UPA government-led by Manmohan Singh over nuclear deal with the US. Chatterjee turned down all requests by his party colleagues saying as Speaker, he was above partisanship and party politics. The action against the UK trained barrister went on to be known as the saddest days of his life.
The ex speaker was honoured with the Outstanding Parliamentarian award when his critics admitted he was one of the best Speakers and have always been fair to all. On becoming CPI(M) general secretary in 2015, Sitaram Yechury tried to bring him back but Somnath Chatterjee refused saying he did not deserve to be expelled in the first place.
Born at Tezpur in Assam on July 25, 1929, to N C Chatterjee, once president of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, and Binapani Debi, he was educated in Kolkata and the United Kingdom.
Chatterjee in his autobiography ‘Keeping the Faith: Memoirs of a Parliamentarian’ had criticised Karat who he called an “arrogant and intolerant man” blaming his “misguided and disastrous policies” for weakening the Left since 2009 general elections.
Despite his expulsion, his love for the party and its ideology remained undiminished. Somnath Chatterjee’s plainspeak became evident when he was once famously quoted as saying the Supreme Court had crossed the ‘lakshman rekha’ in sending a notice to him regarding the power of the Lok Sabha to expel its members, in connection with the cash-for-query scandal.
It was under his able guidance that gap between Parliament and public was bridged and on his initiative the proceedings of the Zero Hour were telecast live from July 5, 2004.
Even the 24 hour Lok Sabha Television Channel came into being in July, 2006 during his tenure as speaker.
He was defeated only once in 1984 by Mamata Banerjee, who incidentally came to limelight with this win.
He shifted to Bolpur Lok Sabha constituency after the seat fell vacant after death of sitting party MP. Since then Chatterjee won the seat for seven consecutive terms till 2004.
Chatterjee led the CPI-M) in Lok Sabha from 1989 to 2004.
Chatterjee retired from active politics following the end of his tenure in 2009. He is survived by wife Renu Chatterjee, a son and two daughters.
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