People from all walks gather at Basu's hospital

Kolkata, Jan 10: From ethnic Afghans of the city to an old woman from far away north Bengal, people from various walks of life Sunday gathered at the hospital where critically ill Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu is admitted with pneumonia.

A group of eight ethnic Afghans or Pashtuns came to the AMRI Hospital with bouquets wishing the 95-year-old Basu a speedy recovery. The group tried to persuade the securitymen to allow all of them in, but in the end only two were permitted to go into the hospital.

"We have been living and doing good business in this city. He is a big leader. So we came here to give him our best wishes," said one of the Pashtuns.

Another visitor who caught the eye was 72-year-old Laxmi Rani Das, who travelled all of 773 km from her Cooch Behar home to Kolkata for a glimpse of the veteran leader.

"I lost my brother 20 years back. His name was also Jyoti. That's the reason I love Jyoti Basu so much," said Das, draped in a simple white saree, as she patiently waited near the gate pleading with the guards to let her in.

But her wait proved futile. And after two hours, Das left the place without having had a glimpse of Basu.