Greatest socialist Indian has passed away: Former SC judge

Justice VR Krishna Iyer, former supreme court judge, condoling the death of CPI(M) leader Jyoti Basu, said "greatest socialist Indian" had passed away.

"I knew Basu for a long number of years, and we are very close friends ideologically and personally", Iyer told PTI expressing grief at the demise of Basu.

"So far as Basu's death is concerned, I think the greatest socialist Indian has passed away today. I am so sad about it because this country has declared itself as a socialist secular democratic republic", he said.

"We find socialism sinking and privatisation rising, and in this time Basu's presence was most important, especially for West Bengal," Iyer said.

As chief minister, Basu had brought about various developments to West Bengal, Iyer said.