West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's mother Gayatri Banerjee passed away at a State-run hospital here on Saturday. She was 81.
She was hospitalised on November 25 with respiratory and kidney complications and was on life support system for the last few days. Doctors at the SSKM Hospital said Gayatri Banerjee died of multiple organ failure at about 8.35 a.m.. Her body was brought to Ms. Banerjee's Harish Chatterjee Street residence and subsequently taken to the cremation grounds for the last rites.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar called on the Chief Minister to offer her condolences. Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee sent a condolence message to Ms. Banerjee.
A Left Front delegation with Leader of Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra, Left Front chairperson Biman Bose, Forward Bloc State secretary Ashok Ghosh, Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Kshiti Goswami visited Ms. Banerjee and offered their condolences.
Rushed to mother's side
Late on Friday evening, Ms. Banerjee cut short her programme and rushed back from New Delhi after her mother's condition worsened. Senior Trinamool Congress leaders said Gayatri Banerjee was a pillar of support to Ms. Banerjee, who had lost her father at a young age. “One should learn from Mamata how people should respect their mothers. We are aggrieved and pained at the loss,” Minister of State for Health Sudip Bandopadhyay said.
Affectionate person
Industries Minister Partha Chatterjee said Ms. Banerjee's mother treated everyone affectionately.
All programmes of the Trinamool were cancelled on Saturday and the entire party leadership as well as supporters thronged the Chief Minister's house to offer their condolences.
Distinguished persons from all walks of life came to the Chief Minister's house to pay their last respects. Except for a brief appearance as she bid adieu to her mother on her last journey, Ms. Banerjee kept to herself the entire day.
