Federal minister dies of lung cancer
Ananth Kumar was the first person to speak in Kannada in the United Nations
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister and longtime BJP leader Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital here early yesterday after battling lung cancer for several months. He was 59.
The Bengaluru South MP, who returned home in October after undergoing treatment in the US and Britain, died at around 2am with his wife Tejaswini and two daughters by his side, B. R. Nagaraj, chairperson of the board of trustees of Sri Shankara Cancer Foundation, told PTI.
The Union minister had been on the ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit for the last few days, his office said in a statement.
His body was kept at his home yesterday and the last rites will be performed today, the Karnataka unit of the BJP said. The body will be taken to the state BJP office and the National College ground, which falls in his constituency, before the funeral at Chamarajapete crematorium, it said.
The national flag flew at half mast throughout the country yesterday, the Home Ministry announced in Delhi.
The Karnataka government declared three days of state mourning and a holiday yesterday as a mark of respect to the leader, a staunch RSS ideologue who was the first ■ person to speak in Kannada in the United Nations.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and leaders across the political spectrum condoled the death of the sixtime parliamentarian.
‘Tragic loss’
Expressing his condolences, Kovind said, “This is a tragic loss to public life in our country and particularly for the people of Karnataka. My condolences to his family, colleagues and countless associates.”
The prime minister said he was extremely saddened by the passing away of a “valued colleague and friend” and described him as a remarkable leader, who entered public life at a young age and went on to serve society.
“Ananth Kumar ji was an able administrator, who handled many ministerial portfolios and was a great asset to the BJP organisation,” Modi said in a tweet.