Nation bids adieu to Chandra Shekhar

New Delhi, July 9: Body of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, who died on Sunday at the age of 80, was cremated with full state honours on Monday. Leaders from various sectors and his followers gathered to pay tribute to the departed socialist leader, who was the Prime Minister of India for seven months.

The last rites of the former premier were performed by his sons Pankaj and Neeraj at Ekta Sthal, on the banks of Yamuna. Chandra Shekhar’s close friend Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among those present during cremation. A wreath on behalf of President A P J Abdul Kalam was placed on the body of the late Prime Minister.

The body of the leader was brought wrapped in the national tri-colour, to the banks of Yamuna in a flower bedecked gun-carriage in a procession. A 21-gun salute was given to Shekhar as his sons lit the pyre and a contingent of all three wings of the Armed Forces presented the Last Post, reversing their guns upside down as a mark of respect to the leader.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Leader of Opposition L K Advani and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force, former Prime Ministers Atal Behari Vajpayee, H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral were also present.

Puduchery Government declared one week of mourning. Haryana Government offices were closed in the afternoon. Kerala and Karnataka Assemblies paid tributes to him and the UP Assembly was adjourned in his honour.

The Bihar Government has announced a three-day state mourning from Monday and all the Government offices and educational institutions across the state were closed for the day.

The Orissa Assembly has deeply condoled the passing away of the former Prime Minister with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik describing the late leader as a “man of conviction and courage”.

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