NEW DELHI: Leaders across party lines condoled the death of former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Tributes poured in as news of the 10-time Lok Sabha MP’s death came in on Monday morning. “Sorry to hear of the passing of Shri Somnath Chatterjee , former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and a veteran parliamentarian who had a forceful presence in the House.

A loss for public life in Bengal and India,” President Kovind said on Twitter. PM Modi also condoled Chatterjee’s passing, calling him a “stalwart of Indian politics”. “He made our parliamentary democracy richer and was a strong voice for the well-being of the poor and vulnerable,” Modi said. Veteran BJP leader L K Advani called Chatterjee “a man of committed ideals and an inspiration for upcoming parliamentarians”.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Chatterjee was “an institution”, while BJP president Amit Shah said Chatterjee’s long years as a member of the House enriched parliamentary traditions. Former President Pranab Mukherjee called Chatterjee “an outstanding parliamentarian and constitutionalist”, adding that he “remained committed to the cause of people with a firm belief in pragmatic consensus.”

Mukherjee said, “In his demise I have lost a personal friend & the nation has lost a great son.” CPM, from which Chatterjee was evicted after he refused to toe the party line in 2008, also tipped its hat in mourning the veteran communist. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, “He played an important role in defending the democratic foundations of our Constitution.”

