People of the city woke up to Thursday with a sense of sorrow. People in large numbers started to assemble at Ramnagar-2 with tearful eyes. Conversations revolved around ‘Sunu da’, his distinctive character, his youthful escapades, political journey, public relations, and his remarkable knack for crafting ‘stories’, but predominantly, discussions were saturated with countless tales of his benevolence, empathy, and assistance to individuals from diverse backgrounds, regardless of political leanings, caste, creed, or religion.
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BJP MLA Surajit Datta, affectionately known as ‘Sunu da’ throughout his political tenure, won over the hearts of thousands, becoming a part of their family, as he was always prepared to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. No other politician in the state received such universal admiration solely for their readiness to assist and support the populace. He was a legend in this respect. His benevolence was legendary. He led a grand life on his own terms and when he passed away on Wednesday night in a Kolkata hospital, as anticipated, thousands of mourners gathered at MBB airport and then outside his home, awaiting the arrival of his mortal remains in Agartala. With every passing moment, crowd was swelling.
The state government had already announced a State Mourning on Thursday and all shops, business establishments, etc. remained closed in many parts of the city to honor the departed leader.
In the afternoon, the seasoned politician and seven-time MLA Surajit Datta, aka Sunu Da, was given a dignified farewell with full state honors at the city’s Battala crematorium. Thousands of people trailed the funeral procession as it paused at various locations for people to pay their floral tributes to him.
Datta, the son of a wealthy contractor Sashadhar Datta, embarked on his political journey as a Naxal in the early seventies but later joined the Congress. He first became an MLA in 1988 when the Congress-TUJS came to power and was also appointed as a minister. He subsequently joined the Trinamool Congress and became its state president. He returned to the Congress and also served as the PCC president.
Later, he joined the BJP and served as an MLA for the last two terms. Regarded as one of the state’s most popular political figures, Datta continued his winning streak in his home constituency Ramnagar, becoming an MLA seven times. Only in 2013 did he lose to CPM’s Ratan Das by a mere 18 votes.
Datta had been battling various health problems, particularly kidney complications, and had been undergoing dialysis for several years. He was diagnosed with high diabetes and high blood pressure, although these did not deter him from indulging in his favorite foods, and his fondness for mutton was well-known.
However, at the age of 70, Datta’s health took a severe turn for the worse two days ago. He was initially admitted to a hospital in Agartala but was later referred to AMRI Kolkata on Wednesday afternoon. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his ailments a few hours later at 11:30 pm.
On Thursday, the mortal remains of the veteran leader were flown to Agartala MBB Airport and then transported to the Secretariat.
Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu, along with all the prominent leaders of the state’s political landscape, both ruling and opposition, including the Chief Minister and other cabinet ministers, paid their final respects to the departed leader.
After offering floral tributes, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha expressed his deepest condolences and acknowledged the significant contributions of the esteemed leader to state politics.
“He was a seven-time legislator from Ramnagar and also served as a minister. His helpful nature and affection for the common people are well-known. I have never encountered a leader like him in the state before. When he was admitted to ILS Hospital, I visited him. He had been suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) for a long time. We sent him to Kolkata for better treatment, but we lost him. A deep sense of sorrow has enveloped the state. This void is irreplaceable,” said Dr. Saha.
Opposition Leader Animesh Debbarma, in his remarks, expressed profound grief over the passing of MLA Surajit Datta.
He praised Datta’s eloquence and his involvement in politics and social work from an early age. He commended ‘Sunu Da’s’ significant contributions to the state’s progress, particularly the development of the Ramnagar assembly constituency.
Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, while extending his deepest sympathies to the grieving family, said that he felt as though he had lost a protector with Datta’s passing. He acknowledged that Datta’s death is a substantial loss to society. He reminisced about his initial days in politics when he saw ‘Sunu Da’ associated with the Blood Mouth Club. As he bid his final farewell to Datta, he reflected on the time they spent together and Datta’s contributions to the state and its people.
On behalf of the CPI(M) party, MLA Jiten Choudhury conveyed his deepest condolences on the passing of the senior member of the Tripura Legislative Assembly and former Minister Surajit Datta.
The mortal remains were transported from the Secretariat to the Pradesh BJP headquarters in Krishnagar, Agartala.
Senior party leaders, including BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee, paid heartfelt tributes to the departed leader and party MLA.
After a final visit to his residence, the senior politician was cremated at the Battala crematorium with full state honors. A large number of people gathered on the roads, through which the cortege passed, as the veteran politician began his final journey.
