M A I N   N E W S

Devi Lal cremated
Tribune News Service

According to an official spokesman, the ashes will be later immersed in all sacred rivers of the country as wished by Mr Devi Lal. Mr Devi Lal had wished that his ashes should be merged with the irrigated fields of farmers all over the country.

Tearful adieu to ‘messiah’ of  farmers
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7
Tearful and indebted, thousands of people reached the Lodhi road residence of INLD patriarch and former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal to have a last “darshan” of their beloved leader.

The unending queue of the people from all parts of Haryana shouted slogans like “jab tak suraj chand rahega, Devi Lal tera nam rahega” and “Devi Lal amar rahe” as they waited for an opportunity to touch the feet of Devi Lal, whose body was kept on a platform wrapped in a Tricolour. Sitting besides was Devi Lal’s son and Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. Other two sons of Devi Lal, Mr Pratap Singh and Mr Ranjit Singh, along with other members of their families were also present.

Among those who visited Devi Lal’s house in the morning was Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He described him as a “messiah” of farmers.

A wreath was placed on the late leader’s body on behalf of President K. R. Narayanan, who could not come himself as he is recuperating from a recent surgery. Vice-President Krishan Kant visited Devi Lal’s residence and conveyed his condolences to the family.

Former Prime Ministers V.P. Singh, P.V. Narasimha Rao, H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujaral, Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Orissa Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Manmohan Singh, CPI (M) leader H S Surjeet were among those who paid tributes. Former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, Jat leader Ajit Singh and former Samata Party President Jaya Jaitley also paid their last respects to the veteran kisan leader.

Security personnel had a tough time keeping the people at bay as Devi Lal’s body was kept on a gun carriage for taking it to Kisan Ghat. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who was at Devi Lal’s house from the morning, followed the gun carriage in a jeep along with other members of Devi Lal’s family.

The funeral procession, which included nearly 100 vehicles, took over an hour to reach Kisan Ghat, where thousands of people had gathered to pay their respects to Devi Lal.

Many of the people had come from far away places of Haryana and had not reportedly lit fire in their houses after hearing of his demise yesterday evening.

In a condolence message, former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar said Chaudhary Devi Lal would be long remembered as the champion of the peasants’ cause in the country. “Apart from creating a void in the political life of the country, his passing away is a personal loss to me and a large number of co-workers,” he added.

Cabinet mourns Tau’s death
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7
The Union Cabinet held a special meeting today to condole the death of former Deputy Prime Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Devi Lal. The meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, placed on record its deep appreciation of Mr Devi Lal’s services to the nation and offered its heart-felt condolences to members of his family.

The government has announced a three-day national mourning beginning today and the Prime Minister is said to have cancelled his visits to Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh and Mumbai, official sources said.

The Cabinet observed a two-minute silence in memory of the late leader. A resolution passed at the meeting stated that Mr Devi Lal served the nation in various capacities. The resolution recalled that Mr Devi Lal left studies at the call of Mahatma Gandhi and actively participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement, the kisan movement and the freedom movement.

Haryana may seek memorial to Devi Lal
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 7
The Haryana government may consider making a formal request for building a memorial for former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal.

State Chief Secretary L.M. Goyal told TNS here that the government had not yet made a formal request to the Ministry of Urban Development.

Mr Goyal said, “We have just got through with the cremation. Let us get some time. We are considering it. We are yet to take any view on it.’’

Asked whether there was any truth in reports that 100, Lodhi Estate where the freedom fighter and Rajya Sabha MP had been living for the past six years, would be an ideal choice for the memorial, Mr Goyal said, “Rumours have no meaning.”