PM Modi pays homage, sea of people reaches Akali headquarters to see their leader one last time

Modi reached Akali Dal head office in Chandigarh around 12.46 pm, paid homage to Badal and sat with Badal’s son and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal.

Apart from the PM, several politicians, cutting across party lines, paid their last respects to Badal. Among them were at least two former Congress CMs Charanjit Singh Channi and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal; two incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Harjot Bains; Congress legislator and leader of the opposition Partap Singh Bajwa; Patiala Member of Parliament Preneet Kaur (she is the wife of former CM Captain Amarinder Singh): BJP leader and former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Sunil Jakhar; Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma; and senior Congress leader and former Congress minister Laal Singh.

Former Haryana chief minister O P Chautala could be seen in tears as he paid his last respects to the SAD patriarch. The Chautalas and the Badals, the two powerful political families in Haryana and Punjab, have long-standing ties as Badal was a close friend of former deputy prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. Chautala had also called Badal a “messiah of farmers”.

Badal’s other friends Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta, former deputy CM Chander Mohan were among the politicians from the neighbouring state who paid their homage to the Akali patriarch.

Meanwhile, after arriving in Chandigarh, Modi reached the SAD office accompanied by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Khattar. He laid a wreath on the mortal remains of Badal and then sat beside SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. The PM was seen holding Sukhbir’s hands and expressing grief over the passing away of the SAD chief’s father. Modi stayed at the SAD office for a few minutes.

Badal’s son-in-law Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, grandson Anantvir Singh Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, Daljit Singh Cheema, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, former SGPC chief Jagir Kaur and BSP leader Jasvir Singh Garhi were also present at the SAD head office.

Union Minister Som Parkash and former minister Balbir Singh Sidhu expressed their condolences to Badal’s son and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal at the private hospital where the former Punjab chief minister breathed his last. Former minister Manpreet Singh Badal, the estranged nephew of senior Badal, was also present.

Both Sukhbir and Manpreet were seen beside the mortal remains of Badal at the hospital.

The mortal remains of the SAD patriarch were kept at the party head office for a few hours for people to pay their tributes to the departed soul. Later in the day, the mortal remains were taken to the former CM’s native village Badal in Muktsar via Rajpura, Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Rampura Phul, and Bathinda in an ambulance.

The ambulance, bedecked with flowers, was driven by Bikram Singh Majithia with Sukhbir Singh Badal sitting beside him. Enroute to Muktsar, party supporters and people showered flower petals on the ambulance at several places.

The cremation will take place at Badal village in Muktsar at 1 pm on Thursday, a party leader said.

Senior Akali leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar said Badal’s death was the biggest loss for the country while former Punjab chief minister Channi said Badal was a big personality and a great leader who fought for Punjab and Punjabiyat.

MP Preneet Kaur said Badal had immense patience and was soft-hearted and political leaders should learn this trait. Punjab Finance Minister Cheema remembered Badal’s great contribution to Punjab’s politics.

The grand old man of Punjab politics first became chief minister in 1970, heading a coalition government that did not complete its term. He was also the CM in 1977-80, 1997-2002, 2007-12 and 2012-2017. He was MLA 11 times, losing an election for the state assembly only twice.