By Nava Thakuria
Three-day State mourning announced
Guwahati: Veteran Congress leader and former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi passed away at 5.34 pm today after suffering from a brief illness. The sitting legislator from Titabar assembly constituency was undergoing treatment at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. Octogenarian Gogoi’s organs faced dysfunction since the morning even though he showed some improvements on Sunday.
Gogoi’s last rites will be performed at Navagraha crematorium on November 26 and his body will be kept at Shankardev Kalakshetra for facilitating common people to pay homage to the departed leader. Prior to that, he will be paid tributes at Secretariat in Dispur. The Congress workers will pay their last respects to one of their tallest leader at Rajiv Bhawan. Any change of decisions will be taken by the authority following discussions with Gogoi’s close relatives.
The attending doctors informed that Gogoi was living on complete life support machines for three days and except some signs related to his brain, heart and eyes, most of his organs stopped functioning. Gogoi was arranged to listen to soothing pieces of Indian classical music, songs by Bhupen Hazarika, to relieve the pain. His son Gaurav Gogoi, also a Congress Parliamentarian in Lok Sabha, informed that people across the State prayed for his recovery.
State chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was in Dibrugarh, rushed to Guwahati cancelling all his official programs calling Gogoi as a father figure. On his demise, Sonowal stated that Assam had lost an experienced, capable and efficient political leader. Gogoi will be remembered for his committed service and contributions to the State and also his sense of humour, amiable and outspoken nature, added Sonowal. He announced three-day State mourning in honour of Gogoi.
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Governor professor Jagdish Mukhi also condoled Gogoi’s demise and said his death was an irreparable loss to Assam as well as to the nation. As the chief minister, Union minister and Lok Sabha member Gogoi served the people compassionately and dedicatedly, said Governor Mukhi adding that Gogoi was a towering leader who witnessed several ups and downs during his long political career. His sagacity and leadership will be a source of inspiration and guidance for many, he added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence minister Rajnath Singh, high profile BJP and Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi condoled Gogoi’s demise. State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with a large number of politicians irrespective of their party affiliations paid their last respects to Gogoi at the hospital.
Gogoi had tested positive for Covid-19 few weeks back was admitted to the hospital on November 1 with breathing problems. Earlier he was discharged from the hospital on October 25 after some improvements. He was hospitalised on August 26 after the reported infection by the novel corona virus. The doctors continued his treatment with consultations from physicians in AIIMS New Delhi as he was not in a position to shift.
Born on 1 April 1934 to Dr Kamaleshwar Gogoi and Usha Gogoi at Rangajan in eastern Assam, Gogoi served as the State as its government chief from 2001 to 2016 without interruption. Earlier he was elected to Lok Sabha for six times and also functioned as a Central minister for some time. Gogoi did his graduation from JB College in Jorhat and did LLB from Gauhati University. Married to Dolly Gogoi, the couple has one son (Gaurav) and a daughter (Chandrima).
