Remembering Jyoti Basu

 While listening news of  Jyoti Basu , me and my wife remembered an incident. I would like to bring it to all of you. You may find it interesting.

My son Darshan was small enough at that time, mere six months old. We were traveling back from Kolkata to Jaipur. It was some day in July 1993, just after a massive and aggressive campaign by Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata that took couple of lives in police firing.

Darshan started crying while entering into the compartment. He did not stop crying for very long time. An elderly lady, sitting near by our berths, asked me and my wife what happened to my son. We failed to  understand why was he crying. Hence, we could not reply.

She told me to hand over Darshan to her and surprisingly he stopped crying in her lap. She had shown Grand motherly affection to him. I wanted to know who she was and two other ladies assisting her told us that she was Srimati Kanak Mukherjee, MP, Rajyasabha and wife of Prof. Saroj Mukherjee, Chairman. CPI(M). I knew prof. Saroj Mukherjee. Kanak Di was also accompanied by another Loksabha MP Badal Di from Nadia.

We had almost a full day with them until we got down. When Kanak di came to know my name she exclaimed, " Oh! so you are Jyoti babu !" I had come out with a quick reply, " Yes, and my wife is Mamta". I added that we are living peacefully together and not quarreling like Jyoti Basu and Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. The conversation created lot of humor.

Thanks,
Jyoti Kothari

(Jyoti Kothari, Proprietor, Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry. He is also ISO 9000 professional)