Kashi Kanta Moitra passes away at 95, Mamata Banerjee condoles the demise of nonagenarian

Biswabrata Goswami

Hummingbird News 

KRISHNAGAR, 29 AUG: Renowned lawyer and politician Kashi Kanta Moitra died in Kolkata on Saturday. He was 95-years-old.

He was the father of late Dr Subrata Moitra who died a few years ago.

He was born on 17 February, 1925.

Condoling his death Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: “Saddened by the death of veteran lawyer and politician Kashi Kanta Moitra. He was an MLA from Krishnanagar and Krishnanagar East Assembly constituencies. His death will create a void in Bengal politics.” Recalling her long association with Moitra she tweeted: “I had a long association with him and he had great affection for me.”

Kashikanta Maitra was the son of Late Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra who was the member of the Constituent Assembly and was one of the most respected persons of Krishnanagar.

In 1945, he was the General secretary of All Bengal Students Bloc of Forward Bloc. He was a Masters in Economics and held an LLB degree.

He had practiced in the Calcutta High Court and was a very good orator. He won the assembly elections of 1962 & 1967 (as a Praja Socialist Party candidate) and after that in 1969, 1971, 1972 and 1977.

In 1971, he was the minister of Small-Scale Industries, Fish & Animal Husbandry, Food & Milk Diary under Chief Minister Ajoy Mukherjee and in 1972, he was the Food, Milk Diary & Sundarban Development Minister under Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Roy.

He resigned before the completion of his term. He was the leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly representing the Janata Party during the chief minister of late Jyoti Basu.

He was a known as critique of Marxism. Some of the books written by him are : Leninbad - Tatve o proyoge, Marx O Samajtantra, Trade Union O Samajtantra, Ganatantra Mukhos O Mukhasree, Marxbad - Krishak O Krishiniti, Subhasbad - A small treatise etc.

Santipur Puran Parishad had honoured him with the title of Pragyanacharya, a few years ago.

With his demise, an era has ended today.