By IANS,
Kolkata : Breaking from established practice, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) will felicitate its seniormost leader Samar Mukherjee on his 100th birthday next month.
“None of our leaders has attained the age of 100. So the party has decided to felicitate Mukherjee on his 100th birthday Nov 7,” CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose told mediapersons here.
Bose said that several party leaders and those from Left Front allies will be invited on the occasion.
The CPI-M, which remains ideologically opposed to celebrating birthdays, made an exception for its founder-member Muzaffar Ahmed (1889-1973). It has celebrated his birthday, July 29, since 1963.
“Although we are opposed to celebrating birthdays, Nov 7 will be an exception because, for the first time, a leader who has turned 100 is also alive. We have also been celebrating Ahmed’s birthday,” Bose said.
Though Marxist leaders and partymen congratulate each other on their birthdays, the party does not indulge in celebrations.
Samar Mukherjee’s 100th birthday celebrations will be held at his residence.