PM Modi walks along AB Vajpayee’s cortege. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)
Former prime minister and BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s body was taken for cremation at Smriti Sthal Friday and the cortege, that included several senior BJP leaders, was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vajpayee, 93, passed away Thursday evening.
The veteran leader’s mortal remains were taken to his official residence Thursday night after which a number of leaders from across the political spectrum came to pay their last respects. Among those who turned up were Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
The former prime minister’s body was then moved to the BJP’s headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg on Friday morning. Prime minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh, veteran party leader L K Advani and other BJP leaders along with party workers paid their respects at the venue.
The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, also came to pay his respects. Other foreign dignitaries like the foreign minister of Bangladesh Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, Sri Lanka’s acting foreign minister Lakshman Kiriella, Nepal’s foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali, Pakistan’s acting information minister Syed Zafar Ali, Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai were also in attendance.
As the funeral procession left the BJP headquarters for Smriti Sthal, Modi, Shah, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other senior BJP leaders walked behind the vehicle, along with hundreds of party workers who had gathered to pay their last respects.
More than 2,000 Delhi Armed Police (DAP) and paramilitary police, along with forces from Central, North, and New Delhi districts were deployed for the funeral proceedings. As many as 20 companies of the DAP and hundreds of paramilitary personnel were stationed to guard the cremation ground. Delhi traffic police closed 25 arterial roads.