Kolkata, 20 August (H.S.): CPI(M) leader Dinesh Chandra Dakua died on Wednesday morning at Kolkata's NRS Hospital. He was 95 years old and was suffering from diseases for a long time. He breathed his last at 11:10 am on Monday.
Dakua was a major pillar of North Bengal politics. After independence, he entered leftist politics. Initially, he showed activism through student politics and after studying law, took up the profession of advocacy. When CPI(M) was formed in 1964, he joined it.
He was elected MLA from Mathabhanga for the first time in 1967. However, he lost the elections of 1969, 1971 and 1972. But he won Mathabhanga continuously from 1977 to 2006.
When the Left government was formed in 1987, he was appointed minister of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes Welfare Department, making him the first person from the Rajbanshi community of Cooch Behar to hold this post.
During the Budhadev government in 2001, Dakua was made tourism minister, a responsibility he held till 2006. But the same year he was not made a candidate by the party, leading to reports of discontent within the party in the region.
He was also a victim of government repression after the tripartite political change in 2016 - his house was allegedly attacked at that time.
He had already decided to donate his body after his death, which his family also plans to do with respect. It is said that his body will later be brought to Alimuddin Street, where people will pay tribute.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
