M A I N   N E W S

Tearful adieu to Pilot
Tribune News Service

The body of Mr Pilot was brought to the Capital from Jaipur and kept at his residence for people to pay homage. Apart from hundreds of his supporters, those who paid homage included the Union Home Minister, Mr L. K. Advani, the Chief Ministers, Mr Parkash Singh Badal (Punjab), Mrs Sheila Dikshit (Delhi), Mr Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh (Maharashtra), Mr Digvijay Singh (Madhya Pradesh) former Prime Ministers, Mr P. V. Narasimha Rao and Mr H. D. Deve Gowda, Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker, Mr P. M. Sayeed, Union Ministers, Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr Santosh Gangwar and several Congress leaders, including CWC members.

The Congress Working Committee also met under the chairmanship of Mrs Sonia Gandhi and adopted a resolution to pay homage to Mr Rajesh Pilot. It said his untimely death was not only a loss to the party but to the entire nation.

The resolution described him as a “promising and an upcoming leader of the next generation and said he was bold, clear in mind and always gave expression to his thoughts keeping uppermost, in his mind, the interest of the nation.

It was not just the leaders of his party and those in government who paid tributes as leaders of several other parties like Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Mr D. Raja (CPI), Mr Sharad Pawar (NCP), Mr Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Mr Devi Lal (INLD) were among them.

Expressing grief over his sudden demise, Mr Devi Lal said in his death the country has lost an emerging kisan leader, a capable Parliamentarian and leader of the downtrodden especially peasantry.

Mr Sharad Yadav, Union Minister and President of Janata Dal-United said Mr Pilot had worked for the cause of farmers and weaker sections of the society and was man who did not hesitate to speak frankly whenever he felt it necessary to do so.

Former Punjab MPs, Mr Gurcharan Singh Daddahoor and Mr Surinder Singla also expressed their shock over the demise of Mr Pilot and said his death had snatched away a dynamic leader of promise and hope. Punjab Youth Congress Vice-President Mr Jagpal Singh Abulkhurana said the gruesome accident had silenced the voice of the poor and farmers whose cause Mr Pilot used to take up effectively in Parliament.

Cabinet mourns death

NEW DELHI, June 12 (PTI) — The Union Cabinet today mourned the death of senior Congress leader Rajesh Pilot and paid rich tributes to him.

A two-minute silence was observed before the Cabinet meeting began, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters.

Pilot was a 'man of masses'

NEW DELHI, June 12 (PTI, UNI) — Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker P.M. Sayeed today expressed shock and sorrow over the death of senior Congress leader Rajesh Pilot.

In his message, Mr Sayeed described Rajesh Pilot as a dedicated Congress leader and a man of the masses, a great champion of their causes, he said.

Senior Congress MP Arjun Singh, in a separate condolence message, said Mr Pilot had the rare quality of differing with people and yet not allowing rancour to come in between.

“A promising young political career has been cut short. The Congress has lost a sincere worker,” he said.

A one day state mourning was observed as a mark of respect to Rajesh Pilot, in Rajasthan.

All official functions were cancelled and the National Flag was flying at half-mast at government buildings. The state government has not declared any holiday, it said.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) has already postponed its conference of panchayat raj and civic bodies’ elected representatives scheduled to begin tomorrow, after the announcement of Mr Pilot’s death.

MDMK General Secretary Vaiko said Ms Pilot’s demise was not only a loss to the Congress but also to the parliamentary democracy.

Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) President Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy described Mr Pilot’s “untimely death” as a loss to the nation.

Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee President Karma Topden described Mr Pilot as a “promising leader of second generation who proved his ability in every respect.”

Jammu and Kashmir Governor G. C. Saxena said Mr Pilot was an energetic and dynamic political leader who had an emotional atttachment with Jammu and Kashmir. “His untimely demise is an irreparable loss for our state and the nation”.

Describing Mr Pilot as a staunch nationalist, Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Omar Abdullah said “a career of great promise and significance has been cut short in its prime.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress, its youth wing and Seva Dal at a condolence meeting at Srinagar expressed grief over the untimely death of Pilot.

In his death, the party has lost an able leader, the speakers said at the meeting.

The J&K Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah described Mr Pilot as a dynamic young leader who had created a vast bank of good will among the masses all over the country.

West Bengal Governor Viren J. Shah has expressed profound sorrow. In a statement in Calcutta, Mr Shah described Mr Pilot as a man of dynamism, dedication, integrity and courage of conviction.

In Itanagar, All India Congress Committee Secretary Omem Moyang Deori expressed shock. She said the late leader had a special love for the people of the north-eastern region and played a vital role in solving some of the region’s problems.

Mumbai regional Congress chief Murli Deora said, “It’s a matter of shock for the entire party that Rajesh Pilot’s political career has been cut off at such a young age and in such a tragic manner.”

In Chennai, Tamil Maanila Congress President G. K. Moopanar said in a message that the deceased was an able aide to former premier Rajiv Gandhi.

Pondicherry Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary A. Gandhiraj said the demise was an irreparable loss to the party.

Indian Youth Congress on Monday paid tributes to Rajesh Pilot.

Fate willed it otherwise

NEW DELHI, June 12 (UNI) — Senior Congress leader Rajesh Pilot was scheduled to board a train from Bandikui to Delhi but changed his mind at the last minute to proceed to Jaipur to take the flight to the capital when he met with the accident.

Pilot had booked his ticket by train and was to reach Delhi late last night. He changed his mind to take the flight from Jaipur to enable him to attend the meeting of the public accounts committee in Mumbai today. The Congress leader wanted to be in Delhi by last evening to make preparations to attend the PAC meeting.

His personal assistant said it was his ill-luck when he decided to take the last flight from Jaipur to Delhi dumping his railway journey.

The public accounts committee is scheduled to hold its sittings in Mumbai, Coimbatore and Uthagamandalam from today.