Vajpayee
Leading thousands of workers, supporters, and those in mourning, Modi walked from the party HQ to the site, some six kilometers away. It was a rare sight, for the PM, accompanied senior members of his cabinet, and Shah to march through the crowded streets of central Delhi, surrounded by visibly nervous security men. Delhi police was told about the Prime Minister’s decision on Friday morning.
Modi tweeted, “People came from all parts of India, from all sections of society to pay tributes to an extraordinary personality who made an extraordinary contribution to the nation. India salutes you Atal Ji!” He added, “You will live on in the hearts and minds of every Indian. No words can ever do justice to your rich contribution towards the making of our country.”
The PM’s decision, a functionary said, was both a reflection of his personal debt to Vajpayee, his attachment with the former PM, and a recognition of what he meant for the BJP.
In a blog on Friday, Union Minister Arun Jaitley, credited Vajpayee with creating in an era dominated by the Nehruvian Congress, a political party that was an ideological alternative to the Congress, which disagreed on various issues with the Congress, which took the Congress head-on, which struggled for almost five decades and in the last two decades but eventually not only became an alternative to the Congress but overtook it. “Atalji ran a marathon,” Jaitley said. “He was a patient runner.”
But for him, LK Advani and others, Jaitley said, Indian democracy would have looked different – dominated by one party, one family with a lot of scattered smaller parties. “That did not happen. Atalji and his colleagues made the difference.”
The cremation was accompanied with military honours. The Army provided a gun carriage for the coffin, while six pall bearers of the rank of Major or lieutenant colonel or equivalent ranks, two each from the army, navy and the IAF bore the coffin, and a team of 24 military officers maintained round-the-clock vigil, in turns, over the mortal remains — eight each from the three services.
In keeping with the military honours, three service chiefs placed wreaths on the body of Vajpayee before leaders paid their floral tributes. The tricolour that was wrapped around Vajpayee’s body was removed and given to his foster granddaughter Niharika, and the body handed over to his foster family, which returned to Vajpayee’s side in his final moment.
His daughter Namita, son-inlaw Ranjan and granddaughter, Niharika, had taken care of the former PM as he was unwell over the past decade. Tales of his fondness and affection for his family abounded. And it was his daughter, who eventually, performed the last rites, bringing an end to the life of one of India’s most remarkable men, as India grieved.
IN KEEPING WITH THE MILITARY HONOURS, THREE SERVICE CHIEFS PLACED WREATHS ON THE BODY OF VAJPAYEE BEFORE LEADERS PAID THEIR FLORAL TRIBUTES.