Thousands pay tributes to Parkash Singh Badal at his bhog ceremony

Archit Watts

Badal (Muktsar), May 4

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla were among the various leaders present at the ‘bhog’ ceremony of former CM Parkash Singh Badal here on Thursday.

Badal passed away at 95 on April 25.

Thousands gathered to pay their last respects to the SAD patriarch at a school named after his mother Jaswant Kaur at Badal village.

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala and Sachin Pilot were among those present.

Religious leaders, including Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, Dera Radha Soami Satsang Beas head Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, and SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, also paid tributes to Badal.

A ‘kirtan’ was also performed.

Shah termed Badal an “Ajaatshatru”, “Maha Maanav” and “Bhaichare ka sardar”.

“With the death of Badal sahib, the Sikh panth has lost its true soldier. The country has lost a patriot and farmers have lost their sympathiser. Badal sahib laid the foundation of a new Punjab. He always worked for the peace and communal harmony. He always worked for the welfare of the state and stood like a rock even during the time of emergency in the state. During our party’s alliance with them (SAD), he always gave suggestions which were good for our party as well. His death is a loss for the entire nation.”

A number of CPI, BSP, SAD and Congress leaders also paid tributes.

The entire Badal family, including SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Manpreet Badal, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Parneet Kaur Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and Ganieve Kaur Majithia were present.

A booklet and a pamphlet on the life and achievements of the SAD chief patron were distributed outside the ‘pandal’.