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HT This Day: July 2, 1962 -- Dr B. C. Roy and P. D. Tandon dead
Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, Chief Minister of West Bengal, and Mr Purushottamdas Tandon, a former Congress President, died today.
Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, Chief Minister of West Bengal, and Mr Purushottamdas Tandon, a former Congress President, died today.
Dr Roy, who was 81 today, collapsed suddenly and died peacefully at 12-03 p.m. after a second heart attack in 10 days. Hundreds who left birthday bouquets in the morning came back later to lay wreaths, shocked and grief-stricken. Dr Roy will be cremated tomorrow morning in south Calcutta. His body was tonight lying in state in the Assembly House.
Mr Tandon, reverentially called Rajrishi, died at Allahabad at 9-56 a.m. suddenly but after protracted illness. He was 80. Mr Tandon, who first took ill here three years ago and underwent treatment for tuberculosis, was reported sinking, in the first week of last month. Though his condition improved, he continued to be weak. Last week, there was again a turn for the worse.
Mr Tandon’s body was cremated at the holy Sangam-the confluence of the Ganga, the Jumna and the invisible Saraswati-at 9-45 p.m., watched by thousands.
Dr Roy and Mr Tandon were two of the first to be decorated with Bharat Ratna-India’s highest honour. Today, the entire country mourned them. Tributes have been paid to their services to the country by the President and the Prime Minister and many others.
Our special correspondent from Calcutta reports.
Last note
Dr Roy’s end came suddenly today after he had a heart stroke, the second since Saturday, June 23.
A few hours before his death, Dr Roy wrote a note in Bengali which was pasted outside his residence for the benefit of those who came to felicitate him on his 81th birthday.
It read “As advised by doctors I am unable to accept personally the birthday felicitations. I wish well to all those who have come to felicitate me.” This was the last note written by him.
It was sad to see persons who had brought bouquets for Dr Roy being told that the veteran leader was no more. They placed the bouquets at his feet and filed past in silence. The principal mourner was one of his nieces, Mrs Renu Chakravarty, MP, who lead the prayers.
A mild stroke
PTI, UNI add: Dr Roy had a mild stroke on June 23 since when he was practically confined to bed by his attending physician, much against his will.
This morning, when innumerable functions were being held in the city and suburbs in connection with his birthday, Dr Roy’s condition suddenly took a turn for the worse and he passed away quietly at 12-03 p.m.
One of the attending physicians who was present at the time of Dr Roy’s death told PTI that until 11 a.m. Dr Roy was keeping well. He was examined by a team of physicians including Dr L. M. Banerjee, one of Dr Roy’s contemporary. At about 11-30 Dr Roy complained of breathing difficulty. An oxygen tent was set up at 11-35 a.m. but five minutes later Dr Roy’s condition started deteriorating. His, pulse beat grew feeble. Frantic attempts were then made for artificial respiration between 12 noon and 12-03 p.m., but everything was over by that moment.
Dr Roy had been confined to his bed since June 23, and, although visitors were forbidden, he was attending to his official work.
He had held discussions for half an hour yesterday with Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries C. Subramaniam on the Durgapur steel project.
“Rest means my death,” Dr Roy had told his colleagues on Thursday last when he insisted that a Cabinet meeting be held at his residence. And it was with great difficulty that he persuaded not to attend a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party. He however attended a Cabinet meeting next day.
Thousands gather
Within minutes of Dr Roy’s death, the President, Dr S. Radhakrishnan, who met the Chief Minister yesterday immediately after his arrival here, and the State Governor, Miss Padmaja Naidu, rushed to Dr Roy’s residence in the Subodh Mullick Square. Miss Padmaja Naidu telephonically conveyed the news to Prime Minister Nehru.
Others who arrived were Pradesh Congress president Atulya Ghosh, Union Law Minister A. K. Sen and Mr Humayun Kabir. Union Minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs.
As the news spread, thousands congregated outside the residence and the police had a hard time. Dr Roy died in a room on the first floor of the house which, on his last birthday, he had turned into a nursing home for the sick. Dr Roy had built another house in a quieter place on Rowland Road, but had not moved there.
Flags in all Central and State Government offices in the city were flown half-mast. All functions scheduled to be held in connection with the centenary celebrations of the Calcutta High Court and a public meeting to felicitate Dr Roy were cancelled.
The West Bengal Government announced the observance of State mourning for seven days. All trading houses and educational institutions will be closed tomorrow. By 5 p.m., all roads leading to Dr Roy’s house and the big park in front of it were jammed by men, women and children and the gates of the house were closed. Trees, balconies and house tops in the area were packed. There were several stampedes.
Funeral today
The body of Dr Roy, which was kept in his house till about 6 p.m. was later taken to the Assembly House, where it will be in state for the night. Lakhs of people, who had been waiting patiently outside Dr Roy’s house to have a last glimpse, followed the bier in silence.
After an all-faiths prayer tomorrow morning, the funeral procession will start from the Assembly House at 6-30 a.m. and will end at Keoratala burning ghat where the funeral will take place.
Defence Minister Krishna Menon was flying here tonight to attend the funeral. He will be accompanied by the Union Cabinet Secretary, Mr S. S. Khera.
Sudden end
PTI reported from Allahabad:
Mr Purshottamdas Das Tandon’s end came suddenly this morning. He took Horlicks at 8-30 a.m., but immediately after had a bit of cough and felt exhausted. The doctor attending on him was immediately summoned who gave Mr Tandon an injection. It had no effect and Mr Tandon passed away at 9-56 a.m.
Mr Tandon is survived by seven sons, two daughters and his aged wife.
Mr Tandon first took ill at Delhi where he underwent treatment for tuberculosis at the Wellington Hospital. He returned to Allahabad in 1959 and later resigned his membership of the Rajya Sabha.
Mr Tandon’s three sons, two daughters, his widow, grandsons and grand-daughters were by his bedside at the time of his death. His condition deteriorated in the first week of last month when he became extremely weak. He was unconscious for a few hours on June 10 but later he improved and started taking nutrition. The weakness, however, continued. His condition again started deteriorating last week.
According to Dr R. D. Kapoor, Mr Tandon was conscious till the end. His voice was very feeble.
As the news of his death spread. people of all shades of opinion started pouring in at his residence to pay their last homage. Among the early callers were Mr Muzaffar Hussain, Minister for Co-operation, U.P., and Mr Raj Narain Singh, chairman of the All-India Socialist Party.
Mr Tandon was cremated at the Holy Sangam tonight. Mr Swami Prasad Tandon, his eldest son, performed the last rates amidst the chanting of Vedas. The pyre was lit at 9-45 p.m.
Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri, Union Home Minister, Mr Bishwa Nath Das, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mr C. B. Gupta, Chief Minister, Mr K. D Malaviya, Union Minister for Mines and Fuel. Mr Raj Bahadur, Minister for Shipping, Mr T. N. Singh, member of the Planning Commission, Mr Kamlapati Tripathy, Finance Minister of U.P. Mr Hukam Singh, Minister of Revenue, were among those present at the cremation.
The Provincial Armed Constabulary fired a salute of three volleys as the pier was lit. The funeral procession which started at 6 p.m. from the Kalyani Devi residence of Mr Tandon reached the Sangam, a distance of about four miles, at 9 p.m. Thousands gathered on either side of the route.
A wreath on behalf of the former President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, was placed on the bier by Mr Kamla Kant Verma, former Chief Judge of Allahabad High Court.
The U.P. Government has ordered that flags on all Government buildings throughout the State will be flown at half-mast today and tomorrow as a mark of respect, to Mr Tandon and Dr B. C. Roy. All Government offices, except treasuries, will remain closed.
