Former union minister Santosh Mohan Dev passes away

GUWAHATI: Former union minister Santosh Mohan Dev on Wednesday passed away at his hometown Silchar in Assam following kidney and other ailments. He was 83. “He passed away at 6.06 am,” Dev’s daughter and Congress MP Sushmita Dev told PTI from Silchar.

His death was condoled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

His last rites will be performed tomorrow with state honours.

The Congress veteran was the minister for heavy industries and public enterprises in the UPA-I government.

The seven-time Congress MP is survived by his wife and four daughters, including Sushmita.

Dev was first elected to Parliament in 1980. Of the seven terms as Lok Sabha MP, he represented Silchar five times and Tripura twice.

Dev was the union minister of state for communications during 1986-1988 and the minister of state for home from 1988- 1989. He was also the union minister of state for steel (independent charge) in the P V Narasimha Rao government in 1991.

The prime minister condoled the death of Dev and described him as a veteran politician who worked extensively for the welfare of the people.

“Saddened by the passing away of Shri Santosh Mohan Dev. He was veteran political leader who worked extensively for welfare of people.

“My thoughts are with the family and supporters of Shri Santosh Mohan Dev in this hour of grief,” he added.

Assam Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Sonowal too condoled his death. “I am saddened at the demise of Santosh Mohan Dev, a towering and sagacious personality, who made immense contribution to the welfare of all sections of the people of the country and especially in the northeast,” the Governor said in a statement here.

His death is an irreparable loss and his absence will be felt deeply not only in the political spectrum but in other spheres also, Purohit said in his condolence message.

Sonowal in his message said that Dev had projected Assam at the national political stage in a very strong way.

“His death is an irreparable loss to the country as the former union minister worked relentlessly for the welfare of the people of the country during his life time,” he said.

The chief minister directed that Dev’s last rites would be performed with state honours and declared August 3 a holiday for the three districts of Barak Valley as a mark of respect to the veteran leader.

The prime minister condoled the death of Dev and described him as a veteran politician who worked extensively for the welfare of the people