Delhi Assembly’s first speaker Charti Lal Goel dies

BJP chief Amit Shah with Vijay Goel. Source: Praveen Khanna

Charti Lal Goel, the first Speaker of Delhi Assembly and father of Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel, died Tuesday. He was 89 and is survived by two daughters and three sons.

Goel, one of the founding members of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, became the first Speaker of Delhi Assembly in 1993 and continued in the post till 1998. He has also served as the deputy mayor of Delhi and was among the political leaders imprisoned during the Emergency in 1975.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Goel’s death, tweeting, “Spoke to @VijayGoelBJP & condoled the demise of his father Shri Charti Lal Goel, whose rich contribution to public life will be remembered.”

The cremation at Nigambodh Ghat was attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, BJP president Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, among others. Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited Goel’s residence to pay their respects.