Kolkata, July 21 (IANS) Maoist leader Azizul Haque died at a private hospital in Kolkata on Monday. He was 83.

He was one of the prominent faces of the radical Maoist line initiated by another iconic Maoist leader, Late Charu Majumdar.

In the late seventies, the radical faction led by Haque continued with its efforts to set up parallel governments in certain rural and tribal belts of both West Bengal and the then-undivided Bihar.

Haque had spent almost 18 years behind bars due to his active involvement in the radical Maoist movements that shook pockets in eastern India in the seventies.

He also penned a book on his life behind bars titled “Karagare Atharo Bochor (18 years in Prison). The book received critics’ accolades and was long considered a valuable document of the Maoist movement during that period.

However, he surprised many of the political observers in West Bengal when he openly supported the CPI(M)-led Left Front government’s industrial drive at Singur in Hooghly district in 2006-2007.

When the entire West Bengal was burning over the movement orchestrated by Trinamool Congress, backed by different Maoist groups, against land acquisition by the West Bengal government, Haque openly opposed the land acquisition movement.

The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, also expressed condolences over Haque’s death.

“I express my deep grief at the passing of veteran politician Azizul Haque. Azizul Haque was a fighter, a resolute leader. In his long political career, he never bowed his head. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and associates,” the Chief Minister wrote on X.

–IANS

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