Kolkata:
Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Thursday termed the suicide of a farmer at an Aam Admi Party or AAP rally in Delhi a "shame for the nation".
"Even after 67 years of independence, why is the condition so bad? Many problems have not been solved," he said.
"Didn't the nation's head hang in shame when a farmer, unable to solve his problems, took away his own life in front of thousands of people? What pain he must have endured. The dreams and aspirations that were fuelled by our independence, have they been realised?" asked Mr Chatterjee.
He along with a host of eminent personalities like former Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly, held a protest meet condemning the "trampling of democracy" under the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.
"The freedom struggle was not meant only to drive away the British and take up power, rather to preserve our ancient culture, fulfill the aspirations of the people, their rights to talks freely, move around freely, live with their heads held high. Aspiring all these, lakhs of people gave up their lives," said Mr Chatterjee.
"We all need to ponder why this is happening. We are seeing how power is being used to turn government officers and employees into party servants. How these officers at cost of their self respect and personality have become party servants," said Mr Chatterjee, urging people to stand up against tyranny and build a movement to preserve democracy.