‘Visionary leader’: President, PM lead tributes to Chautala

The Haryana government also declared Saturday as a public holiday in all state government offices and all schools.

His younger son and INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala said, “He saw many ups and downs — both on the political and the family front — but never lost courage. As chief minister, he took several decisions that are examples even today”.

Abhay said he had a big hand in Gurugram’s development. “Not only have I lost my father but the farming community has lost a voice,” he added.

Leaders cutting across party lines, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish at Chautala’s demise.

“In his decades-long public life, he played an important role in Haryana politics. I offer my condolences to his family and supporters,” the official X handle of the President’s Office quoted President Droupadi Murmu as saying.

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar will attend Chautala’s last rites Saturday. Dhankhar said he had had cordial relations with the Chautala family for decades. “As a visionary politician, he always gave top priority to rural development and agricultural prosperity. His unforgettable contribution to overall development of Haryana and strengthening Indian democracy will always remain a source of inspiration,” an X post from the Vice-President’s Office quoted him as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Chautala strove constantly to advance the work of Devi Lal. In his condolence message, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya described Chautala as a seasoned politician and a visionary leader. “His contributions to the development of Haryana and his commitment to the welfare of its people, particularly the ‘kisan (farmers)’, will always be remembered,” he said.

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said Chautala’s contribution to the state’s political landscape would always be remembered. “With his passing, a significant chapter in Haryana’s political history has come to an end, and it is hard to fill the void left by his departure. His personality was a reflection of simplicity and resilience. He was a visionary leader who initiated numerous schemes for rural development, education, and infrastructure improvement,” Saini added.

Former Haryana CM and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said Chautala was “like an elder brother” to him. “I had strong relations both in the family and political sphere with him,” Hooda said.

SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said Chautala’s passing at a time when farmers were engaged in a fight for justice and survival was a huge loss to society in general and the farmers and the downtrodden in particular.