New Delhi: Leaders cutting across party lines bid an emotional farewell to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who was one of the most-loved leaders in decades and had acceptability across a diverse ideological spectrum. Vajpayee passed away on Thursday evening at AIIMS in New Delhi. President Ram Nath Kovind termed Vajpayee a “Gentle giant”.
Condolences poured in from across the world. Chief ministers, Opposition leaders, Chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force, governors and a host of other dignitaries attended the funeral at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, a cremation site at the heart of the capital.
Apart from President Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, foreign dignitaries were also present. These included Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Afghan politician Hamid Karzai and Bangladesh foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali also paid last respects to the leader.
Other political leaders at the funeral were former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal and Congress leader Raj Babbar.
Dr Singh also condoled the death of Vajpayee. In a letter to Vajpayee’s adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya, Dr Singh said Vajpayee was a “great patriot” and people from all walks of life, irrespective of their political leanings, loved and respected him.
