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Gupta dominated the Lok Sabha like a colossus

The longest serving parliamentarian and veteran Communist leader, Indrajit Gupta, who died in Calcutta early on Monday, was known for his outspokenness, deep insight into public issues and impeccable language.

A member of the Lok Sabha for the longest duration, Gupta served as home minister in the H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral ministries.

Recipient of the Best Parliamentarian award in 1992, Gupta was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1960 and was its member without a break except for a brief period between 1977 and 1980. He represented Midnapore in the present Lok Sabha.

His stature as the oldest member earned him the position of pro-tem speaker in 1966, 1998 and 1999.

As an Opposition stalwart and leader of the CPI group, Gupta's speeches in the Lok Sabha merged force with moderation, criticism with reason, and earned him the admiration of even his political opponents.

As home minister Gupta was blunt about the government's failures and raised many an eyebrow among the treasury benches with his frank observations.

Born on March 18, 1919, to Satish Chandra Gupta, then secretary of the Council of States, and Priyabala, Indrajit Gupta had his education at St Stephen's College, Delhi and King's College, Cambridge.

Joining the Communist Party of India in 1943, Gupta rose to become its general secretary in 1990, when he was 71. He held the office for six years.

Active in the trade union movement, Gupta was earlier general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress during 1980-90. He held the post of vice-president of the World Federation of Trade Unions and became its president in 1998.

Drawn to Communist movement while he was in Britain during his student days, Gupta went underground in India during 1948-50, when there was a crackdown on Communists.

During his long stint in Lok Sabha, Gupta was a member of the consultative committee for the ministry of home affairs and the ministry of defence. His victories in the Lok Sabha elections had always been marked by big margins.

Gupta has penned a few books on subjects like economics, defence and foreign affairs. These include Capital and labour in jute industry and Self-reliance in national defence.

Widely travelled, Gupta was a member of parliamentary delegations to several countries. He was a delegate to the IPU conference in London in 1975 and in Madrid the next year. He was also a member of the prime minister's delegation to Namibia in March 1990.

He is survived by wife Suraiya, a son and three daughters.

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