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Atal Bihari Vajpayee funeral LIVE Updates: Mortal remains of the former PM at India Gate. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)Atal Bihari Vajpayee funeral LIVE updates: Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours at Smriti Sthal on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi. His adopted daughter Namita Bhattacharya lit the funeral pyre and the poet-politician was given a gun salute. His body was shifted from his residence to the BJP headquarters this morning, where scores of leaders, cutting across party lines, paid tribute to the leader through the day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah walked beside the coffin as it was brought to Smriti Sthal. Vajpayee, a stalwart of the BJP, passed away on Thursday after battling a prolonged illness at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 93. The charismatic leader is survived by his adopted daughter Namita Kaul Bhattacharya. The government has announced seven days of state mourning, and the national flag will be flown at half-mast for seven days across the country.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee funeral LIVE updates: The former PM was awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015.
Also Read | Tears, grief across political faultlines, state funeral today | PM Modi’s tribute: Vajpayee overcame the hesitation of our nation | Off camera, a PhD student in mourning to a PWD worker on the job
Calling Vajpayee’s death a “personal loss”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it marks the end of an era. He said the BJP patriarch lived for the nation and served it assiduously for decades while noting that it was Vajpayee’s exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. “Atal Ji’s passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me. I have countless fond memories of him. He was an inspiration to Karyakartas like me. I will particularly remember his sharp intellect and outstanding wit. It was Atal Ji’s exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century. His futuristic policies across various sectors touched the lives of each and every citizen of India,” Modi tweeted. He said it was due to Vajpayee’s perseverance and struggles that the BJP was built brick by brick.
Vajpayee was awarded India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in March 2015. During his second term as prime minister, Vajpayee ordered nuclear tests in May 1998 in a strategic masterstroke to blunt Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions. He followed this up with peace overtures to Pakistan, riding on the first direct bus from India to Pakistan in February 1999.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Friday condoled the demise of former prime minister Vajpayee’s demise, as the BJP stalwart was laid to rest with full state honours in Delhi today.
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) Isaak-Muivah faction has said that it is ‘deeply saddened’ to hear the demise of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India. A statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP), said late Vajpayee was a great leader who could understand the Nagas and was committed to find an honourable settlement to the Naga issue. READ MORE
The last rites are being performed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s daughter Namita Bhattacharya, standing with Grand Daughter Niharika, on Friday, August 17, 2018. (Express photo by Tashi Tobgyal) See more PICS HERE
A girl was seen paying tribute to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee while his mortal remains were being taken from the old quarters in Delhi for cremation. The last rites were conducted at Smriti Sthal in Delhi as the departed leader was accorded a state funeral. The moment was captured by The Indian Express photojournalist Abhinav Saha (@abhinavsaha).
Change of Guard ceremony on the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan will not be held tomorrow due to state mourning.
Ashes of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was accorded a state funeral today, will be immersed in every rives in Uttar Pradesh including Ganga, Yamuna and Tapti. Uttar Pradesh government said that this will be done to respect the grand stature of iconic BJP leader.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who regarded Vajpayee as a father figure to him, said that Atal Ji will live on in hearts and minds of every Indian.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweets as former PM Vajpayee was cremated at Smriti Sthal in Delhi with full state honours. He said that people came from all parts of India, from all sections of society to pay tributes to an extraordinary personality who made an extraordinary contribution to the nation.
Earlier in the day, King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks in Delhi. The Bhutanese king was also present in the funeral ceremony of former PM Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal.
Among the Indian politicians and leaders across party lines, foreign dignitaries were also present at Smriti Sthal where Vajpayee was cremated with full state honours
The last rites are being conducted by Vajpayee’s adopted daughter Namita Bhattacharya. She has lit the funeral pyre.
Last rites ceremony of the former PM is underway. You can also watch the LIVE telecast on DD news
Pakistan Law Minister Ali Zafar in Delhi to pay condolences to Vajpayee on the behalf of people of Pakistan and the Government of Pakistan. We are here to share your grief and pay our condolences on the behalf of people of Pakistan and the Government of Pakistan: Pakistan Law Minister Ali Zafar after arriving in Delhi for the funeral of former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee pic.twitter.com/47aFQyv05E— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018
The body of former PM Vajpayee who passed away yesterday will be kept on a pyre soon. State funeral is being accorded to the poet leader and a great statesman who remained unmarried throughout his life.
Tricolor wrapped around mortal remains of Vajpayee has been handed over to his family
BJP president Amit Shah pays last respects to the departed leader. Shah had yesterday said that Atal ji will be immortal like a polestar. Former PM Manmohan Singh has also paid his last respects to the leader. The two leaders shared a similar ideology for liberalisation
President Ram Nath Kovind pays his respect to Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal. Amid a teary-eyed atmosphere, leaders across party lines are present to pay their last respects to the great leader.
Several dignitaries are paying floral tributes at Smriti Stal where the mortal remains of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee have been kept for final rites
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the wreath near the body of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Other dignitaries have also made a beeline to pay floral tributes to the departed soul.
The chiefs of all three defence forces lay the wreath at Smriti Sthal where funeral the ceremony of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee is being conducted.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee being given ‘Salami Shastra’ — a gun salute as final farewell gets underway amid the chant of mantras.
Leaders from across party lines were present at Smriti Sthal to pay homage to the iconic BJP leader. Also seen were Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia along with Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Ashok Gehlot and Raj Babbar
People from across the political spectrum and common men have joined in for the last rites of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Rahul Gandhi have arrived at Smriti Sthal for funeral of Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Union Jack flies at half-mast at the British High Commission in New Delhi as a mark of respect to Former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee. pic.twitter.com/QN0DKiB5OW— ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2018
Railway workers today paid homage to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was once the president of a station masters’ union, and recalled the saffron leader’s dedication to the workers’ movement.
BJP chief Amit Shah, several union ministers and party leaders also walked somberly behind the cortege as it made its way to the Rashtriya Smirti Sthal where the last rites would be performed. A huge crowd of people showered petals at the funeral procession and jostled to get a glimpse of the former prime minister.
Thousands of mourners jostled and some clambered on trees to capture the moment on their phones as former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cortege left the BJP’s headquarters for Rashtriya Smriti Sthal for the last rites of the poet-politician. People from across the country gathered outside the BJP headquarters and hundreds lined up inside to pay homage to the former prime minister, who wove together pragmatism and a vision for an inclusive India.
The distance between BJP headquarters and Smriti Sthal is about 4 Kilometers. PM Modi, Amit Shah, Smriti Irani and several other leaders has taken part in the procession.
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