Simple living and high thinking has always been the way of life for Communists. I myself have seen this in practice by some of the top leaders of the CPI(M). Most of you must have known how com. Nripen Chakraborty lived and worked. In one sentence it can be said. When he became the Chief Minister of Tripura, he came to his office with a small trunk box with his clothes and a few books. After his term of office when he went back to his house he had with him the same trunk with his clothes and books! Unbelievable, but true.

The case of Nripen Chakraborty is not an isolated case. I met the present Chief Minister of Tripura Com.Manik Sarkar at Calicut at the 20th Party Congress of CPI(M). He stayed with his wife  at the rest house. There is no official car, no security persons, no formalities of the Chief Minister. It is known that he himself washes his clothes. He speaks with you just like any other person with out the air of a chief Minister or high dignitary. It is stated that he knows almost everybody in Tripura personally. It was told to me by Com.Swapan Chakraborty, our Circle Secretary, NE II, which includes Tripura state.

Yesterday I had another experience. The re-elected General Secretary of CPI(M), Com. Prakash Karat with his wife Com.Brinda Karat, also a PB Member, was in the same flight from Calicut to Delhi in which many other comrades were also travelling.  He was in the same economy class as all of us were, despite pressure from some comrades to travel by higher class. After getting down, just like any other ordinary person he was  carrying his luggage. While he was waiting for taking the check-in luggage, some comrades went to help him, but he smilingly refused and pushed the trolley with the bags just like any other person. The same was with Coms. A.K.Padmanabhan, another PB member as also Com.Tapan Sen, General Secretary of the CITU and other senior comrades. How Com.M.K.Pandhe, the octogenarian President of CITU, used to travel alone even during his last days is known to all.

Simple living and high thinking has always been the way with Communists. It had to be kept up.