Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab’s gentleman politician, cremated at ancestral village with full state honours

Earlier, wrapped in the Tricolour and amid chants of ‘Sardar Parkash Singh Badal amar rahe’ (long live Sardar Parkash Singh Badal)’, the Akali stalwart’s mortal remains were taken from his residence to the family’s farmland, a kilometer away, where it was kept for people to have the last ‘darshan’, on a specially designed tractor-trolley.

A two-acre kinnow orchard, part of Badal family landholding, was cleared for the cremation.

Badals’s last journey on a tractor-trolley was symbolic of his concern and association with the peasantry in over 70-year-long political career. A portrait on the front side of tractor described him as ‘Fakhr-e-Kaum (Pride of the community)’, a title awarded to him from Akal Takht in 2011. Another portrait described him as “Darvesh siyasatdaan” (a gentleman politician)”, which he was often referred to as even by his opponents. People showered flower petals as the trolley moved towards cremation site.

Before being taken to the cremation site, Badal’s mortal remains was kept at his residence where people made beeline to pay homage.

Sukhbir, his wife and former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal could be seen in tears as people visited the residence and offered condolences. Their two daughters and a son also stood beside the mortal remains. Manpreet

Badal, his son and daughter, and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia were also present.

BJP president J P Nadda, Union ministers Hardeep Puri and Som Parkash, senior party leaders Ashwani Sharma and Tarun Chugh, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, National Conference’s Omar Abdullah, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Punjab deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring visited the Badal village to pay their homage. Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, his son and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, and AAP ministers Aman Arora and Baljit Kaur were also present.

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also paid homage to the leader at the cremation ground.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami and other religious leaders including Baba Balbir Singh Ji Budha Dal Wale, Baba Nihal Singh ji Harian Velan Wale, Baba Resham Singh Ji Chakpakhi Wale, Kartar Singh Nanaksar Samadh Bhai, Kaka Veerji Baru Sahib Wale, Sukhdev Singh ji Damdami Taksal, Baba Pargat Nath, apart from members of Namdhari Samprada paid tributes to the departed leader.

Talking to the reporters, Nadda said, Badal was a statesman. “His personality impacted everyone. The welfare of farmers, poor and the downtrodden was always on his mind,” the BJP leader said, recalling how Badal could not attend his son’s wedding earlier this year but gave blessings over phone apologized for not attending the event due to poor health.

Hooda remembered Badal as a man with humility who commanded love and respect from all.

Pawar said the Akali leader’s contributions in various fields cannot be forgotten. Like former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, Pawar said, Badal championed the cause of farmers. “We had family relations with Badal sahab… We have lost our senior leader.”

Heavy security arrangements were made in the village in view of the visits by the political leaders.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reached Chandigarh to pay tributes to Badal.

The veteran leader had not been keeping well for sometime and was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali on April 16 after he complained of uneasiness in breathing. He passed away on Tuesday. He was 95.

The grand old man of Punjab politics first became chief minister in 1970, heading a coalition government that did not complete its term. He served as chief minister in 1977-80, 1997-2002, 2007-12 and 2012-2017.