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Sunday,
July 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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OBITUARY President, Prime Minister condole
death Top leaders pay tributes to
Kant
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Condolence meeting his last public
appearance Najma to officiate as RS Chairperson
Rescue efforts on at Vembanad Lake of Kerala on Saturday. — Reuters photo Course on quake-proof buildings at Roorkee 1 lakh relief for custodial
death JAC calls for blockade
of NH 39
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OBITUARY New Delhi, July
27 Mr Kant, who had a chequered career in politics after throwing up a job as a scientist in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), took active part in the Quit India Movement of 1942 as a student in Lahore and was arrested with other members of his
family. Born on February 27 at Kot Mohammed Khan village in Amritsar district in a family of freedom fighters, his father Lala Achint Ram was a member of the Constituent Assembly and later Member of Parliament. Lala Achint Ram was a true Gandhian — a pillar of the Bhoodan Movement in Punjab. He was one of the three life members of the Servants of the People Society founded by Lala Lajpat Rai in 1921 and inaugurated by Mahatma
Gandhi. The influence of his father on Mr Kant was all too evident. After an MSc in Technology from Benaras Hindu University, Mr Kant gave the CSIR job and entered the political arena. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1966 to 1977 and subsequently member of the Lok Sabha until
1980. Mr Kant was sworn in as the Vice-President in August 1997 and prior to that had served as the Governor of Andhra Pradesh for seven years. He held the additional charge as the Governor of Tamil Nadu from December, 1996 to January,
1997. He never shied away from challenging the leadership if he was convinced that the path being adopted went
against national interests. Mr Kant was expelled from the Congress when the Emergency was declared in 1975 because of his open advocacy and support to Jayaprakash Narayan’s movement against corruption and the need for revolutionising all aspects of national life in economy, politics and
society. Mr Kant had been demanding radical election reforms since 1971 to reshape the electoral process for a healthy democracy in the
country. At the time of the NAM conference in New Delhi during Indira Gandhi’s stewardship, he succeeded in shaping a Document with the consent of all political parties — Congress, Janata, CPM, CPI and the BJP — which was not possible in both Houses of
Parliament. During his term in Parliament he had enlisted the support of the leaders of various parties comprising Kamlapati Tripathi, C. Rajeshwara Rao, E.M.S. Namboodiripad and Atal Behari Vajpayee to highlight the criminalisation of politics. His proposal to have a provision for negative vote in the election process was
appreciated. Immediately after entering Parliament he was associated with radical politics and the “Socialist Forum.” The main objective was to rid the politics of the Congress of the influence of money. In the AICC session in Ahmedabad in 1971, he made a strong plea for linking political parties with people and their basic problems. All this led to the espousal of the cause of land reforms and that of the Naxalites for land restructuring though he abhorred any kind of violence.
A fine orator, Mr Kant made a significant contribution as MP in the fields of foreign and defence policies, land reforms, freedom of the Press and electoral reforms. He was also interested in preserving the environment.
He was Secretary of the Indian Parliamentary and Scientific Committee of which Jawaharlal Nehru was the President and Lal Bahadur Shastri the chairman. He was editor of the quarterly journal “Science in
Parliament.” Mr Kant was a life member and President of the Servants of the People
Society. He held prominent posts in the Congress and later the Janata Party. He was the founding general secretary of the Peoples Union of Civil Liberties and Democratic Rights of which Jayaprakash Narayan was the President. He was instrumental in the release of the Naxalites after the formation of the Janata government in
1977. During the terrorist problem in Punjab, Mr Kant organised Guru Gobind Singh Samagam to focus on the culture of the state and how the Gurus were an integrating force for the Hindu society rather than being a symbol of separation as espoused by some. He met Sikh extremists to understand their point of view. He was among the first to raise the issue of Pakistan interference in Punjab and the need for a national approach to solve the problem. |
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Declared dead at 8.45 am New Delhi, July
27 The AIIMS Medical Superintendent R.K. Sarma told the TNS that a panel of senior doctors attended to Mr Krishan Kant. They included Prof P.
Venugopal, Chief of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery; Prof S.C. Manchanda, Head of the Department of Cardiology; Prof K.K. Talwar of the Department of Cardiology; Prof Sampat Kumar, Prof of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery; Prof Ravi
Saxena, Chief of Emergency Medical Care; Prof S.N. Mehta, Head of the Department of Surgery; and Prof Parveen Aggarwal from the Department of Medicine. |
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President, Prime Minister condole
death New Delhi, July 27 Former Prime Ministers and leaders of various political parties also expressed grief over the sudden death of the Vice-President, who was described as a personal friend by
many. Describing Kant as a freedom fighter, an admirable personality and an eminent leader, the President said, “I am deeply shocked and grieved to learn of the sad and untimely demise of Kant.”
In his message, Prime Minister Vajpayee said, “the untimely demise of Kant has left the entire nation in a state of shock. It is an end of an era.”
Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani described his death as a “big loss to the nation, Parliament and public
life.” Congress President Sonia Gandhi said Kant never deviated from his commitment to serve people with exceptional
devotion. Former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral described the death of Kant as a personal loss. He said in Kant’s death, he had lost a friend and
brother. Parliamentary Affairs and Communications Minister Pramod Mahajan expressed deep sorrow on the death of Vice-President Krishan Kant and said his untimly demise was a personal shock to
him. Human Resource Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, in his message, said in Kant’s death, the country had lost one of those great men who belonged to the generation which believed in value-based politics, simple living, swadeshi and commitment to national unity and
integrity. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, also said to have backed Kant’s name for Vice-President’s post, said the former Governor of the state “had done a lot for Andhra Pradesh and the country.”
Condoling the death of the Vice-President, Gujarat Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari said it had come a deep shock to the
nation. Former Election Commissioner G.V.G. Krishnamurthy, in his condolence message, said the death of Krishan Kant had left a void in national
life. The BJP condoled the death of Vice-President Krishan Kant, saying it was a loss for the country and left a void difficult to
fill. Party President Venkaiah Naidu, also a Rajya Sabha member, currently on a tour of southern states, cancelled his engagements and would be here
tonight. Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma said Kant’s services to the nation in various capacities would always be remembered.
Paying homage to Kant, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said he had efficiently conducted the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha as its
Chairman. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa described Kant as an outstanding parliamentarian and said in his long career in public life, he had endeared himself to one and all and made an indelible mark on the polity of the
country. Expressing shock, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said, “In Kant’s death, we have lost a great parliamentarian and a follower of democratic
values.” Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Kant was a dedicated freedom fighter whose contribution in protecting democratic traditions as a Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha would always be
remembered. In his condolence message, the Jharkhand Chief Minister called Kant a “champion of democracy and human
rights.” Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala described Kant as a “revolutionary and a seasoned
parliamentarian.” Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha Najma Heptulla said in Kant’s death the country had lost a statesman and a representative of Gandhian ethos of the national
movement. Leader of the CPI(M) in the Rajya Sabha S. Ramachandran Pillai said Kant had conducted the proceedings of the House in an exemplary
manner. Water Resources Minister Arjun Charan Sethi said his contribution as freedom fighter, statesman and social worker would always be remembered by the
nation. RSS Leader K.S. Sudarshan said Kant was “a very good friend of many of us in the RSS right from the days of
Emergency.” BJP General Secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the nation had suffered a “great loss in the death of such an eminent
patriot.” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah expressed deep sorrow and said, “With (Kant’s) death, the country has lost yet another stalwart of the freedom struggle
era”. Former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu expressed deep shock and said Kant’s friendly approach and attitude had endeared him to all who came in contact with
him. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi said Kant, known as one of the “Young Turks”, rose to high position in the political
arena. Uttaranchal Chief Minister N.D. Tiwari described Kant as a parliamentarian of high calibre and said decisions taken by him as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha would serve as milestones in constitutional and parliamentary proceedings.
Pondicherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy said Kant had discharged his duties in a most impartial
manner. Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Ram Naik said Kant had played a leading role in the struggle against Emergency.
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Arvind Dave, Sikkim Governor Kidar Nath
Sahani, Gujarat Governor Sundersingh Bhandari, Lt-Governor of Pondicherry Dr Rajani
Rai, Tamil Nadu Governor T.S. Ramamohan Rao and Uttaranchal Governor Surjit Singh Barnala also condoled Kant’s demise. |
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Pervez expresses
condolences Islamabad, July 27 “I had found him to be a man of great learning and goodwill,” General Musharraf said. He added, “We share the sorrow of the government and the people of India.”
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Top leaders pay tributes to
Kant New Delhi, July
27 A large number of political leaders, VIPs, friends and relatives turned up today at his official residence 6, Maulana Azad Road, where the body has been kept, to pay their homage to him also consoled his
mother. Mr Krishan Kant had suffered a massive heart attack and he was rushed to the AIIMS where he breathed his last at around 8.45 a.m. He was to demit office on August
20. Noted women’s activist Ms Suman Kant cried inconsolably as she sat surrounded by her colleagues from Mahila Dakshata Samiti, the organisation she headed, and other leaders of the women’s movement including former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) Mohini Giri. ‘’Why did he not complain to me if he was uncomfortable last
night. He just went away in his sleep without saying anything to us,’’ was her constant refrain as Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi and Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj tried to console her.
Leaders including Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Human Resource Development Minister M.M. Joshi were among the large number of dignitaries who visit his residence.
They paid floral tributes to the departed leader and tried to console his nonagenarian mother Mrs Satyawati who was sitting near the body of her son all
through. Former Presidents Mr K.R. Narayanan alongwith his wife Usha Narayanan and Mr R. Venkataraman, former President Mr Shankar Dayal Sharma’s wife Ms Vimla Sharma also paid their tributes to him. Former Prime Ministers Mr I.K. Gujral and Mr V.P. Singh also expresed their
condolences. Speaker of the Lok Sabha Manohar Joshi, Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission K.C. Pant and union ministers K. Jana Krishnamurthy, Ajit Singh, Arun Shourie, Ananth Kumar, Digvijay Singh and Ashok Pradhan also paid homage to the departed
leader. Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, Health Minister Ashok Walia, Finance Minister Mahender Singh Sathi and Mayor of Municipal Corporation of Delhi Jaishree Pawar also paid floral
tributes. Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, CPI leader A B Bardhan, CPI(M) General Secretary H S Surjeet, Congress leaders Manmohan Singh, Margaret Alva, Ahmad Patel, R K Dhawan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, NCP leader P A Sangma and Attorney General Soli Sorabjee were also among the first to reach there on hearing the news of the Vice-President’s
death. Floral wreaths were also laid on the body of the Vice-President on behalf of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Defence Ministry and the Delhi Police. |
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Condolence meeting his last public
appearance New Delhi, July 27 Krishan Kant, who passed away this morning following a massive heart attack, had, along with his wife Suman, gone to Nebsarai last evening to express grief at the death of noted freedom fighter and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s daughter Suman
Singh. Krishan Kant had a long association with the family of the late Prime Minister as his father Lala Achintya Ram and Lal Bahadur Shastri were good friends. He went to Suman Singh’s residence at 7.30 pm to express grief over the death of the 66-year-old freedom
fighter. Kant had no history of heart ailment and was active. He had worked till midnight even last night, family sources said.
“There was no history of any heart ailment. He generally used to wake up by about 6 am but when this morning he did not wake up by 7, we got worried. A doctor was called and he advised us to take him immediately to AIIMS. We took him there but nothing could be done,” the wife of the Vice-President said. Ms Kant regretted that in his last moments Kant could not convey anything to his family as he died in sleep.
Krishan Kant’s last official function was the swearing-in function of the newly elected President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. |
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Najma to officiate as RS Chairperson New Delhi, July 27 The term of Vice-President Krishan Kant, who passed away today, was to end on August
20. The Vice Presidential elections are slated for August 12. |
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31 die as boat capsizes Kumarakom (Kerala), July 27 The police said 31 bodies had been recovered, revising their earlier figure of 50. A six-month-old infant was among the 31 bodies fished out of the deep
lake. The toll is likely to go up as naval divers and local rescuers continue their search for bodies possibly stuck in the
silt. The boat, which had an estimated 300 persons on board, belonged to the Kerala Water Transport Corporation. It was on its early morning ferry service from Muhamma in Alappuzha district to Kumarakom in Kottayam district when the accident
occurred. The victims were mostly job-seekers who were going to attend a test for lower-level government posts conducted by the state Public Service Commission. Most of those who died were from Muhamma and nearby areas, the police
said. Eyewitnesses said the boat first tilted to a side and then capsized. Those doing lime-shell quarrying in the lake were the first to reach the accident site. They rescued about half of the passengers who had by then managed to climb to the top of the overturned
boat. Later, Fire Department personnel from the nearby Kottayam, Cherthala, Pala and Ettumanoor also joined in the rescue efforts. A Fire Department officer from Kottayam said the rescuers managed to salvage the boat and cut it open to take out the bodies trapped inside. At least seven bodies were taken out from the boat, he
said. A senior police official at Alappuzha said many persons in the boat were able to swim to safety as the spot where the boat capsized was not very deep. The boat was only partially submerged. Some of those squatting on the top of the boat jumped overboard, he said.
Though the exact cause of the mishap was yet to be ascertained, an escaped trainee crew of the boat said it had on board more passengers than its permitted
capacity. Meanwhile, the state government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each to the families of the deceased. A crisis cell has also been set up under the Chief Secretary to coordinate the rescue and relief work. The Chief Minister, who is indisposed, has deputed his colleagues to oversee the relief and rescue work.
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Course on quake-proof buildings at Roorkee Dehra Dun, July 27 IIT sources said here that the short-term training course would strive to disseminate knowledge among the participants about earthquake-proof structures “as most of the times, it is not the ground shaking but the collapse of structures that takes toll of human
lives”. The sources said the entire Uttaranchal was vulnerable to seismic hazards. It was not feasible to tear down and rebuild buildings and infrastructure in order to assure safety of people. But there were mitigation measures that could be taken to improve the performance of existing structures and appropriate design measures could ensure the safety of structures in the event of an extreme
disaster. Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), Bangkok (Thailand), has been championing the cause of capacity building and advocacy in the field of disaster preparedness so as to minimise human sufferings in the south-east Asian region. The centre also provides technical assistance to governments and organisations engaged in the field of disaster mitigation and management. |
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1 lakh relief for custodial death Jabalpur, July 27 The single Bench of Mr Justice Deepak Mishra yesterday ordered to the state Home Secretary to pay compensation to the petitioner Ms Richa Jethani and her grandfather Ms Sardoomal of Bengali Colony Ranhi Jabalpur, within two months as the charges of custodial death of her father Shri Chand had been proved. The incident had taken place in the lock up of Madhav Nagar police station, Ujjain on March 2, 2002. The petitioner’s counsel contended that the police officer had tortured the deceased and forced him to
suicide. UNI |
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JAC calls for blockade
of NH 39 Imphal, July 27 The JAC said even NH 53 would be blocked if the state government failed to give assurance that appropriate measures would be initiated to stall the shifting of the two Central
forces. "If Arunachal Pradesh and Assam could adopt definite resolution against the shifting of the two forces from the states, what is preventing the Manipur government from adopting a similar stance," the JAC asked.
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