PM remembers an ‘articulate voice for India at world stage’ on Sushma’s first death anniv

Tributes poured in on the first death anniversary of BJP leader and former External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered her as “an articulate voice for India at the world stage” while vice-president M. Venkaiah Naidu said she was a “blend of modern thinking and traditional values.” Swaraj passed away last year after a cardiac arrest hours after Parliament gave its nod to the bill nullifying the contentious Article 370 about which she tweeted that she was “waiting to see this day in my lifetime.” It was her last tweet and hours later she was rushed to the AIIMS where she breathed her last.

“Remembering Sushmaji on her first Punya Tithi. Her untimely and unfortunate demise left many saddened. She served India selflessly and was an articulate voice for India at the world stage,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Recalling how Swaraj used to visit him on every Raksha Bandhan to tie Rakhi, the vice-president said she was seen as “an epitome of Indian culture. She was a blend of modern thinking and traditional values. She was always respectful towards seniors and elders. She was one of the most affable Indian politicians and treated everybody with warmth and affection.” He addressed the first memorial lecture organised by the Panjab University.

External affairs minister S. Jaishankar said Swaraj was “always an inspiration.” Paying tributes to her, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said “will always remember her as a great orator, visionary leaders and above all a compassionate human being.”

Union home minister Amit Shah said she was a “towering figure of Indian polity, an outstanding parliamentarian and a brilliant orator who dedicated her entire life in the service of the nation. Her ideals will continue to inspire the generations to come.

Remembering Sushmaji on her first Punya Tithi. Her untimely and unfortunate demise left many saddened. She served India selflessly and was an articulate voice for India at the world stage. — Narendra Modi, Prime Minister