House pays tribute to departed MLAs

Shimla, August 10

Mandi Sadar MLA Anil Sharma paid an emotional tribute to his father Sukh Ram, a former Union Communications Minister, in the Vidhan Sabha today.

“It was not his decision to join the BJP but I am glad that eventually he died while being a Congress man,” said Anil, as the Assembly paid tribute to the MLAs who had passed away recently.

“Probably, it was my son who became my father’s weakness as grandchildren are more dear to grandparents than their own children,” he said on Sukh Ram joining the BJP before the 2017 Assembly elections.

Anil Sharma remembers father

It was not his (Sukh Ram’s) decision to join the BJP. I am glad that eventually he died being a Congress man. —Anil Sharma, Mandi Sadar MLA

Anil said he had learnt so much from his father who overcame all challenges and rose to great heights in his career, spanning over half a century. “I was always reluctant to join politics but eventually circumstances forced me to do so when my father floated his own party,” said Anil. He added that his father was like a lion who fearlessly fought every situation.

He said he had learnt so much from former CM Virbhadra Singh and his own father, both of whom he considered as his gurus. He also used the occasion to thank CM Jai Ram Thakur for providing the state helicopter to shift his ailing father to Delhi.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Speaker Vipin Parmar, ministers Mahender Singh, Suresh Bhardwaj, Virender Kanwar, Rakesh Pathania, CLP Leader Mukesh Agnihotri, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Dhani Ram Shandil, Rajeev Bindal, Vinay Kumar, Rakesh Jamwal and Vikramaditya Singh paid tributes to the departed souls.

The House recalled the contribution of Sukh Ram, Praveen Sharma, MLA from Chintpurni, Mast Ram from Karsog in Mandi and Roop Singh Chauhan from Renuka in Sirmaur. Everyone credited Sukh Ram for ushering in the telecom revolution and being an astute politician, who obliged people across party lines.

The House remembered Praveen Sharma for being a social and friendly person who had the ability to take along everyone.