M A I N   N E W S

Memorial to Devi Lal announced
An era ends with Tau’s death: Vajpayee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 17
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today paid tributes to former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal and said an era had ended with the death of Tau, who relentlessly worked for the welfare of farmers and the downtrodden.

“An era has ended with his (Devi Lal’s) demise....With his unparallel contribution, Devi Lal has got his name inscribed in golden letters in the annals of Indian history,” Mr Vajpayee said speaking at the condolence meeting (rasam pagri) held here at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Describing Devi Lal as “jan nayak” and as a symbol of rural awakening, Mr Vajpayee announced that a magnificent memorial would be set up in the memory of this great son of soil so as to inspire the future generations.

Paying homage to the departed leader, the Prime Minister said Devi Lal, who plunged into the freedom struggle when he was just 14, was a man of principles and had never severed his links with the grassroots despite touching great heights in political life.

“In his political life, he had never been power hungry as is evident from the fact that in 1989 when the National Front came to power, a decision was taken to appoint him as the Prime Minister, but Tau did not accept it and offered the high position to Mr V.P. Singh and preferred to work for farmers and villagers.”

“Tau sought to assimilate rural India to the modern mainstream without losing the essential social fabric of countryside India,” Mr Vajpayee said amidst thunderous applause and shouting of slogans “long live Devi Lal” and “Devi Lal zindabad” by thousands of freedom fighters, farmers and others present at the function.

The Union Sports Minister, Ms Uma Bharati, announced that the Centre would set up Chaudhary Devi Lal National Academy for Sports in Haryana and the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, said she would urge the Prasar Bharati to name the Doordarshan kendra at Hisar after Devi Lal.

Union Home Minister L.K. Advani said Devi Lal was popular among the masses because of his simplicity, humbleness, kind-heartedness and fearlessness.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said in the death of Devi Lal, who was a “messiah” of farmers, a big vacuum had been created in the political leadership.

Stating that Tau was a big link between Punjab and Haryana, Mr Badal announced that his government would set up a memorial to Devi Lal in Punjab.

Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala expressed his gratitude to the galaxy of dignitaries and a large number of people for joining him at the condolence meeting and pay their tributes to the departed leader.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as, in an emotionally choked voice, Mr Chautala reminded the people that during the last birthday meeting of Devi Lal, he had asked the people that in case he (Mr Chautala) did not fulfil their aspirations they could complain to Devi Lal.

“Now as Devi Lal is no more, all of you have the right to let me know in case I distract from my path,” he said.

Besides Mr Vajpayee, tributes were also paid by former Prime Ministers Chandra Shekhar and P.V. Narasimha Rao, Governors of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, Union Ministers L.K. Advani, Ram Vilas Paswan, NDA convener George Fernandes, former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal President Laloo Prasad Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party chief and former Defence Minister Sharad Pawar, Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir) and Rajnath Singh (Uttar Pradesh).

Apart from senior Haryana leader Bhajan Lal, no prominent Congress leader was present at the function which was scheduled to end in an hour but stretched to more than three hours.

Postage stamp

New Delhi, April 17
The Department of Posts will bring out a postage stamp on former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal. UNI