Raiganj: Priya Ranjan Das Munshi has rekindled North Dinajpur Congress leaders' hopes as thousands of people thronged to pay their last respects to the departed leader in Raiganj on Tuesday.
The Congress is pondering over organising a mega meet in memory of the five-time MP with an aim to cash in on the public sympathy. "Priyoda was away from people for nearly nine years as he was lying comatose in a Delhi hospital. Even then, the response of residents here was overwhelming and proved that he still lives in their minds. To honour their sentiments, we have decided to hold a memorial meeting in an open ground and not in any hall on December 9 so that anybody can join it," said Mohit Sengupta, the Congress president of North Dinajpur district committee on Wednesday.
Sengupta's announcement came after he held a meeting with PCC president Adhir Ranjan Choudhury and senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan here. Both these leaders had come to Raiganj on Tuesday to attend the last rites of Das Munshi.
Das Munshi expired in Delhi on November 20. On Tuesday, his body was taken to Raiganj by helicopter from Calcutta for the last rites.
But before the chopper landed, thousands of residents of different age groups had assembled near the helipad.
In fact, the Raiganj and Kaliaganj towns wore a deserted look as if there was an unannounced strike. They had photographs of Das Munshi in almost every street of the town, traders had kept their shops closed and private bus owners did not run vehicles as a mark of respect to the deceased leader.
Throughout the day and till late evening, people were found gathering at specific places like the helipad, the Congress office and the crematorium in Raiganj and at the house of Das Munshi in Kaliaganj. Several others stood on both sides of the road as the cortege moved between the two towns.
"It was beyond our imagination that even today, Priyoda is so popular. Such display of sentiments by people has boosted the morale of our leaders and workers. We will continue to move on in Priyoda's way and resume political activities across the district," said a Congress leader.
