Tearful adieu to Anjan Dutta
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
SIVASAGAR, June 17: The last rites of veteran Congress leader and APCC president Anjan Dutta, who died of cardiac failure at AIIMS, New Delhi yesterday morning, were performed with full state honours at Gaurisagar in Sivasagar district on Friday.
The body of Dutta was laid in state at Sivasagar Rajiv Bhawan, Piyoli Phukan Stadium, Boarding Field and Yuva Dol for a couple of hours to eble his well-wishers and party workers to pay homage, before being taken in a procession to Gaurisagar where he was cremated in a land owned by him.
Dutta's three daughters Angkita, Arpita and Amrita lit the funeral pyre at around 5 pm in the evening.
Former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his wife Dolly Gogoi, State Forest Minister Pramila Rani Brahma and a host of ministers, MLAs and leaders from various political parties like CP Joshi, Debabrat Saikia, Kushal Duwari, Jogen Mohan, Topon Kumar Gogoi, Rakibul Hussain, Rekibuddin Ahmed, Rupjyoti Kurmi, ndita Das, Bhupen Bora, Atuwa Munda and Apurba Bhattacharyya placed floral wreaths on Dutta's mortal remains and offered their last respects.
Earlier, as soon as Dutta's mortal remains were brought to Sivasagar Rajiv Bhawan, Sivasagar MLA Prab Gogoi, former education minister Sarat Borkotoky, other Congress leaders and party workers, senior citizens and representatives of many organizations offered floral tributes to the departed soul and condolences to the bereaved family.
Anjan Dutta, son of former Sivasagar Municipal Board chairman Thaneswar Dutta, was a former Transport minister of Assam and three-time legislator from Amguri constituency. He is survived by wife Annya and three daughters.
As the Transport minister, Anjan Dutta was largely credited, even by his critics, for reviving the almost dying Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC), receiving accolades across the State for doing so. In his innings as Industry minister, he brought life and vigour in the Assam Tea Corporation and set benchmarks for his colleagues and other promising ministers.