Void left by Vajpayee would be impossible to fill, says former PM’s family
The death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a huge loss and his departure has left a void that would be “impossible to fill”, his family members said on Thursday. Vajpayee, a bachelor, is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya.
“It is a very big loss for us and his death has left a void that would be impossible to fill,” said Anoop Mishra, nephew of Vajpayee.
EU tweets condolences on Vajpayee’s passing
The European Union said they bloc will remember Vajpayee’s visionary contributions to EU-India relations. “We express our deepest sympathies on the passing away of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and with the people of India,”
Sri Lanka minister reaches New Delhi to attend Vajpayee’s funeral
Sri Lanka acting foreign minister Lakshman Kiriella arrived in New Delhi to attend former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s funeral at Smriti Sthal at 4 pm.
Swami Agnivesh assualted on DDU Marg
The Indian Express reported that Swami Agnivesh was assaulted outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi’s DDU Marg. He was on his way to pay his respects to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when the incident took place. The incident comes a month after he was allegedly assaulted by a mob of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists in Jharkhand’s Pakur.
Narendra Modi returns to BJP headquarters
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has returned to the BJP headquarters, shortly before the funeral procession to the cremation ground is taken out. The cremation of veteran BJP leader and three time prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will take place at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal near Rajghat in New Delhi on Friday.
Great loss for India, says UK envoy on Vajpayee’s death
“He was an enormously important person who we have great respect for and it’s a great loss for India. I wanted to pay my respects to a man of that stature,” said Dominic Asquith, British High Commissioner to India.
Vajpayee never let humanity harmed due to differences, says Sitaram Yechury
Calling it a specialty of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury told ANI, “It was the speciality of Atal ji that he never let humanity be harmed due to the political and ideological differences. Such principle is needed in the country today.”
Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia pay respects to Vajpayee
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh paid their last respects to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
Remember Vajpayee for his contribution to Bangladesh Liberation War, says foreign minister
Arriving in New Delhi to attend Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s funeral, Bangladesh foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said, “We remember him for his contribution to Bangladesh Liberation War and strong support to people of Bangladesh. He had great liking for Bengali music.I had the privilege of serving in Delhi as career diplomat when he became foreign minister,”
Bollywood film industry pays tribute to Vajpayee
Expressing their condolences, Bollywood film stars remembered his role in Indian politics.
“I met him once in 2006. He was a very good orator. The void of his absence can never be filled by anyone in Indian politics, he has been a role model for everyone and inspired many through his poetry, speeches and oratorship,” said filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar.
Actor John Abraham tweeted his condolences and said,”For me he was one of India’s greatest leaders loved and respected by all. He will be missed.”
Hope current govt fulfil Vajpayee’s dream to befriend Pakistan: Farooq Abdullah
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said Vajpayee wanted India to belong to everyone. “He also wanted to strike up a friendship with Pakistan. Unfortunately he couldn’t see that. I hope that the current govt and Pakistan’s Imran Khan government fulfil his dream, that will be a true tribute to him,” he told
Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali arrives in New Delhi
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has arrived in New Delhi. He will be attending former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s funeral on Friday evening.
LK Advani, Uddhav Thackeray at BJP Thackeray
BJP patriarch LK Advani and Shiva Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray can be seen at the BJP headquarters with their families. Advani had earlier paid his final respects to his long-time comrade Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the former prime minister’s body lies in state at BJP headquarters in New Delhi.
Devendra Fadnavis, Raman Singh pay tributes
Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Raman Singh paid their tributes at the BJP headquarters on Friday.
Amitabh Bachchan says former PM’s ‘oratory powers were unmatched’
“He was an admirer of my father and his works and there were many an occasion when I would be present at their meetings,” Amitabh, son of late prolific and celebrated writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan,
He said his father knew Vajpayee, who was then a student. Harivansh Rai, he says, was very impressed by Vajpayee’s oratory skills, which was his virtue. “His oratory powers were unmatched and the usage of words exemplary. They were filled with the power of pronunciation. The rendition of the word was enough to give it meaning… One did not need to understand the language, that was his brilliance. Some of his public speeches and ones done in the Houses of Parliament are testimony. A poet, a writer, a politician, a Prime Minister… an extremely rare human,” Amitabh wrote.
Yogi Adityanath, Sarbananda Sonowal and other senior leader pay their respects
Senior BJP leaders such as Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik gathered at the saffron party headquarters to pay their last respects to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. DMK leader A Raja was also seen there.
Leaders from Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh to attend Vajpayee’s funeral
Bhutanese king Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk arrived in the National Capital on Friday and is here to attend the last rites of Bharat Ratna awardee and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He will be joined by a host of foreign dignitaries including foreign minister of Nepal, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, and Bangladesh, AH Mahmood Ali.
Sri Lanka’s Department of Government Information confirmed that the country’s acting foreign affairs minister Lakshman Kiriella would grace his presence at the funeral service of 93-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart, as the special envoy of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
According to Dunya News, Pakistan is planning to send its envoy to attend Vajpayee’s funeral procession. Pakistan’s acting Law and Information Minister Ali Zafar is likely to attend the last rites of former Indian prime minister.