JP Nadda and Rahul Gandhi pay tribute to former chief minister Virbhadra Singh in Shimla today when he passed away after a long illness.
The BJP national president JP Nadda and former AICC chief Rahul Gandhi arrived in Shimla on Friday where the body of the veteran leader will be kept for the public to pay their homage. Rahul Gandhi will visit the state Congress office–Rajiv Bhawan– to have Virbhadra’s last “darshan” and will pay his homage to the veteran leader, the Congress Working Committee member said.
आज श्री @RahulGandhi जी ने शिमला, हिमाचल प्रदेश के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री स्वर्गीय श्री वीरभद्र सिंह जी को श्रद्धांजलि दी। pic.twitter.com/TimdjAhWzO
— Youth Congress (@IYC) July 9, 2021
Former Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh to be cremated at Rampur on July 10 at 3 pm.
The 87-year-old veteran Congress leader breathed his last after prolonged illness at Shimla’s Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) at 3.40 am on Thursday. His body had been kept at his residence, Holly Lodge, for the entire day for “antim darshan”.
On Friday, the body was taken to the Ridge Maidan for the public to pay their last respects from 9 am to 11.30 am.
Then it was taken to the State Congress office, where it will be kept from 11.40 am to 1 pm, Thereafter, the body will be taken to Rampur by road at 1 pm and it is scheduled to reach Padam Palace there at 6 pm, a family spokesperson said.
On Monday night, the condition of the Congress leader deteriorated after he suffered a cardiac arrest. Singh was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital and was on ventilator support.
Virbhadra Singh had also tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) twice in two months – on April 12 and June 11.
Dr. Manmohan Singh expressed his condolences and the Congress tweeted on his behalf as he is not on Twitter: “Shri Virbhadra Singh, who dominated the political space in HP for almost six decades left a big vacuum in the Congress as no other leader enjoyed the mass appeal and clout that he did.
In his death our country has lost a mass leader and able administrator.”
– Dr. Manmohan Singh
Shri Virbhadra Singh, who dominated the political space in HP for almost six decades left a big vacuum in the Congress as no other leader enjoyed the mass appeal and clout that he did.
In his death our country has lost a mass leader and able administrator.
– Dr. Manmohan Singh pic.twitter.com/7ttITC8i5j
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 8, 2021
Rahul Gandhi tweeted: Shri Virbhadra Singh ji was a stalwart in the true sense. His commitment to serving the people and to the Congress party remained exemplary till the very end.
My condolences to his family and friends. We will miss him.
Shri Virbhadra Singh ji was a stalwart in the true sense. His commitment to serving the people and to the Congress party remained exemplary till the very end.
My condolences to his family and friends. We will miss him. pic.twitter.com/GjXbe6zQnV
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 8, 2021
Heartfelt condolences to @VikramadityaINC and the family. @virbhadrasingh ji will forever be remembered as the architect of #HimachalPradesh.#RIP #VirBhadraSingh ji https://t.co/Gj1n3YEThh
— Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) July 8, 2021
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences on Twitter: “Shri Virbhadra Singh Ji had a long political career, with rich administrative and legislative experience. He played a pivotal role in Himachal Pradesh and served the people of the state. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.”
Shri Virbhadra Singh Ji had a long political career, with rich administrative and legislative experience. He played a pivotal role in Himachal Pradesh and served the people of the state. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2021
About His Life:
Virbhadra Singh (23 June 1934 – 8 July 2021) was an Indian politician popularly known by the honorific Raja Sahib. He was the longest-serving and 4th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, serving as the Chief Minister from 2012 to 2017 before being replaced by BJP’s Jai Ram Thakur in December 2017.
He previously served as Chief Minister from 1983 to 1990, from 1993 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2007. He was an elected member of the Lok Sabha in 1962, 1967, 1971, 1980 and in 2009. He served as MLA from Arki constituency, and was a member of the Indian National Congress. His wife, Pratibha Singh, was a Lok Sabha member from Mandi.
He was born in the royal family of the princely state of Bushahr. He was the titular Raja of Bushahr from 1947 until 1971, when, by the 26th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the privy purses of the princes were abolished and official recognition of their titles ended.
Singh was educated at Colonel Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun, St. Edward’s School, Shimla and Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, and later received a BA Honours degree from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.
He is survived by his wife Pratibha Singh and son Vikramaditya Singh who are also politicians. Pratibha is a former MP, while Vikramaditya is MLA from Shimla rural.