May 15, 2024 20:11 (IST)
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Modi, Rahul pay tribute to Gopinath Munde
New Delhi, June 3 (IBNS) Political leaders across party lines, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday paid their last tributes to Union minister Gopinath Munde at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters here.
Janata Dal-United national president Sharad Yadav, Biju Janata Dal leader Jay Panda, Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule also paid their last respects to Munde.
BJP patriarch LK Advani and senior leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Anant Kumar, Venkaiah Naidu and Smriti Irani paid their homage to their departed colleague.
TV footage showed Advani and Modi consoling Munde's daughter and BJP legislator Pankaja Munde.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee also sent a wreath that was laid at the feet of Munde.
Munde's body will be flown to Mumbai on Tuesday evening, where BJP workers will pay their respects at the BJP headquarters in the city.
His body will be taken to Latur and then to his hometown Parli in Beed district of Maharashtra, where the last rites will be performed on Wednesday.
Modi on Tuesday condoled Munde's passing away in a road accident in the morning.
Expressing his sadness and shock, Modi described Munde as a true mass leader, who rose to great heights and tirelessly served people.
"Extremely saddened & shocked by The demise of my friend & colleague Gopinath Munde ji. His demise is a major loss for the Nation & the Govt," tweeted Modi.
"Gopinath Munde ji was a true mass leader. Hailing from backward sections of society, he rose to great heights & tirelessly served people," he said.
"My tributes to a dynamic leader whose premature demise leaves a void hard to fill," Modi said.
"Condolences to Munde ji`s family. We stand by them in this hour of grief," he posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Vice President Hamid Ansari also condoled Munde's death.
In his condolence message, Ansari said: “I am profoundly saddened at the passing away of Shri Gopi Nath Munde, the Union Minister for Rural Development in a tragic road accident today."
"Shri Munde was amongst the most prominent political leaders of Maharashtra who had a long and illustrious public life during which he served his state and the country in various capacities with great distinction. In his departure, we have lost a distinguished public servant whose absence will be felt by one and all," he said.
"I convey my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. I pray to the Almighty to give them strength and fortitude to bear this loss," he added.
Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Sanjay Gandhi expressed grief over Munde's demise.
She said that in Munde's demise, the country has lost an able and dedicated leader.
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh expressed shock and grief over Munde's death.
In his condolence message, Singh said in the sudden demise of Munde, the nation has lost a promising leader with vision for taking the country to great heights.
Munde, 64, died in a road accident in New Delhi on Tuesday morning, said reports.
The mishap took place around 6.30 am when he was on his way to the Indira Gandhi International Airport from where he was scheduled to catch a flight to Mumbai.
According to reports, an Indica car hit Munde's Ambassador car when it was moving from Lodhi Road towards the Aurobindo Chowk.
He was rushed to the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where he was declared dead.
"There was no breathing, no pulse, no cardiac function when Mr Munde was brought to the hospital. Despite efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 7.20 am," AIIMS spokesperson Dr Amit Gupta was quoted as saying by CNN-IBN.
As per reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader sustained multiple head, chest and spinal injuries.
He was said to have lost considerable amount of blood in the mishap.
Munde, a diabetic patient, fell down from the car and asked to be taken to a hospital when his security guard helped him.
Munde was suspected to have suffered a cardiac arrest while he was being taken to the AIIMS Trauma Cente.
Munde's driver and security guard are reportedly safe.
The police arrested the driver of the Indica car.
Munde was the Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation.
He was a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for five terms during 1980-1985 and 1990-2009.
He was also the Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly during 1992-1995.
He has held the post of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 1995-1999.
Munde was elected to Lok Sabha in 2009 and 2014, and served as the Deputy Leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha.
Munde got involved into politics when he met Pramod Mahajan, a friend and colleague in the college.
As a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, he took part in the agitation against the state of emergency imposed by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He was incarcerated in the Nashik central jail until the Emergency was lifted.
In 1971, he associated with the campaign of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh candidate in the Lok Sabha election in the Beed constituency.
He attended the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Shiksha Varga (Training Camp) held in Pune that year.
He soon became the Sambhajinagar Mandal Karyavah, looking after half a dozen shakhas of the RSS, and subsequently, the in-charge of its Pune City Students' Cell.
Later, he was made a member of the executive committee of the city RSS.
The Janata Party by this time had split, and the Bharatiya Janata Party, founded by the leaders the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh had come into existence.
Munde was made President of the Maharashtra unit of the BJP's youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.
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