On the banks of the Gomti on Thursday. Vishal Srivastav
Cutting across party lines, political leaders on Thursday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the first day of the monsoon session of the state Assembly before it was adjourned till Monday. As soon at the House met, Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury, BSP Leader Lalji Verma, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Ajay Kumar Lallu and other leaders expressed their condolences on behalf of their parties.
Vajpayee, 93, died on August 16 in Delhi following a prolonged illness. Paying tribute to Vajpayee in the state Assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the former PM always “advocated peace and harmony and never compromised with the security and unity of the country”.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey and Vajpayee’s family members arrived here with the ashes from New Delhi.
Governor Ram Naik, the chief minister and deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma were present at the airport to receive the ashes. A portion of his ashes was then taken to Jhule-Lal Park on the banks of Gomti for immersion in a special vehicle. A huge crowd took part in the Asthi Kalash Yatra that passed through several areas of the city. After Thursday’s ceremony at the Gomti, the rest of the 16 urns will be sent to different parts of the state for immersion on Friday. Each urn would be accompanied by one minister each, along with other party leaders.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Atalji was an epitome of simplicity and decency.” He said after becoming prime minister, Vajpayee made India hold its head high in the international arena. Adityanath said, “Whenever the fulfilment of ‘gram swaraj’ comes up, Atalji is remembered for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (rural roads scheme)… ,” he said at the gathering.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was present at the condolence meet at the park, said, “…He was not a leader of any one party, he was leader of the entire country.” Congress state president Raj Babbar remembered him as a “the man with a big heart”. “One should remember how he fulfilled his duties as the Prime Minister with dignity,” he added.
No prominent BSP representative, however, attended the condolence meet. Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon, Union minister Anupriya Patel, Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad as well as Sunni cleric Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali also paid tribute to the leader.