Nation bids farewell to Pranab Da
Last journey of ex- President and veteran politician
Former President Pranab Mukherjee was cremated with full state honours at New Delhi’s Lodhi Road electric crematorium on Tuesday afternoon. His son Abhijit Mukherjee performed his last rites.
Mukherjee’s family and relatives paid their last respects clad in PPE kits and conforming to Covid- 19 safeguards. An Army contingent presented a guard of honour and a gun salute to the former President. Mukherjee’s mortal remains were earlier brought there in a flowerbedecked vehicle, his body draped in the tricolour.
Mukherjee, 84, died Monday evening at the Army’s R& R Hospital in Delhi Cantonment after a 21- day battle with multiple ailments. Earlier in the day, the mortal remains of India’s 13th President were taken to his 10 Rajaji Marg residence from the hospital.
Outside Mukherjee’s residence, people wearing masks and maintaining a six- feet distance, stood in long queues to pay their respects. Congress workers said their leaders offered floral tributes before his photo and could see his mortal remains from a distance.
All those who came to pay tribute wore masks, and some had face shields too. The former President’s remains were carried in a hearse and not the customary gun carriage. Among those who visited 10 Rajaji Marg were President Ram Nath Kovind, vice- president M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union ministers, former PM Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the three service chiefs. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, BJP chief J. P. Nadda, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal were among others who came to pay homage.