NEW DELHI:
The powerful and the commoners, jostled to offer their last respects to late APJ Abdul Kalam today as President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders cutting across political divide led the nation in paying homage to a leader who rose from humble origins to occupy the top office.
Long queues of people, especially school and college students, were seen through the day at 10, Rajaji Marg residence of Kalam in Lutyen’s Delhi waiting for their turn to have a last look at the mortal remains of the person who had asked them to dream big and came to be hailed as the “People’s President”.
A seven-day national mourning was observed in honour of Kalam, whose last rites will be performed in his birthplace Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Thursday morning in accordance with the wishes of his family headed by his elder brother Muthu Mohammed Meeran Marraikar (99). He would be given a state funeral with full military honours.
Both the Houses of Parliament adjourned for two days after paying glowing tributes while the Union Cabinet met to pass a resolution hailing his services to the nation.
Mukherjee, Hamid Ansari, Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and a host of dignitaries received the mortal remains of Kalam at the Palam technical area as the body was flown from Shillong to Guwahati en route Delhi by the Air Force.
The dignitaries placed wreaths on the body that was wrapped in a tri-colour and placed on a deck on the tarmac at at the Palam technical area.
The President and other dignitaries stood in silence as a tri-services guard of honour was given before the former President’s body was taken in a flower-bedecked gun carriage to his residence at 10 Rajaji Marg.
Then the President, Prime Minister, Vice President union ministers and political leaders of various hues, including BJP President Amit Shah, veteran BJP leader L K Advani, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja were among those who visited Kalam’s residence to pay their last respects.
After paying floral tributes, the leaders offered their condolences to the two grandsons of Kalam’s 99-year-old elder brother, Muthu Mohammed Meeran Marrakair, who desired that the last rites be performed in Rameswaram in the southern coastal edge of Tamil Nadu, the birth place of Kalam. (AGENCIES)
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