Rajnath flies to Srinagar, state funeral in Valley
Rajnath flies to Srinagar, state funeral in Valley
Jammu and Kashmir CM Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who crafted the remarkable PDP-BJP coalition in the state after the 2014 Assembly elections, died on Thursday morning at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he had been put on ventilator support for the past few days. He had been suffering from a lung infection for the past two weeks. Sayeed, 79, died just five days short of his 80th birthday. Within hours, the PDP elected his daughter Mehbooba Mufti, party chief, as his successor as chief minister. She will be sworn in shortly as the first woman CM of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Mufti, whose body was flown from New Delhi to Srinagar in a special IAF aircraft earlier in the day, was laid to rest at Bijbehara, his hometown in the Valley 45 km from Srinagar, with full state honours on Thursday evening. His mortal remains, draped in the tricolour and the J&K state flag, was earlier taken from Srinagar airport to his official residence at Gupkar, overlooking Dal Lake.
Besides Mehbooba Mufti and the CM’s wife Gulshan Nazir Ara and some other family members, National Conference president Omar Abdullah and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad accompanied the body in the IAF aircraft from New Delhi. They were soon joined by governor N.N.Vora and a battery of politicians from mainstream political parties, besides ministers in the PDP-BJP coalition government, to pay their last respects.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh was present, deputed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to represent the Centre at the funeral. He was accompanied by PMO minister of state Jitendra Singh and senior Army commanders.
Earlier, at the Palam technical area before the IAF aircraft left New Delhi, Mr Modi laid a wreath on the body and offered his condolences to Mehbooba Mufti, who had been at her father’s side for the past 14 days.
Paying glowing tribute to the departed leader, Mr Modi said: “Mufti Sahab provided a healing touch to J&K through his leadership. What stood out about Mufti Sahab was his statesmanship. In his long political journey, he won many admirers across the political spectrum.”
In New Delhi, the Union Cabinet met and condoled the Mufti’s death and observed two minutes’ silence as a mark of respect to his memory. The Centre also ordered the national flag to be flown at half-mast Thursday across the country as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
Jammu and Kashmir has declared seven-day mourning. All state government offices and educational institutions remained closed Thursday. The tricolour and the state flag will be flown at half-mast during the period of mourning.
At Bijbehara, the Mufti was buried in the town’s Dara Shikoh Bagh, the garden laid by Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Emperor Shah Jehan, in the early 17th century.
Sayeed’s nimaz-e-jinaza was offered at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium before his remains were taken to Bijbehara. The funeral prayer was led by Sayeed’s long-time associate, state education minister Naeem Akhtar. A ceremonial guard of honour gave the salute.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is being sworn in as the state’s new CM after she emerged the unanimous choice after her father’s death. Earlier reports had indicated that the 56-year-old Ms Mufti was disinclined to take over as chief minister till the customary 4th day ceremony of her deceased father was over. But it was explained to her that there would be a constitutional vacuum in the state and that the CM’s post could not be left vacant, after which she is reported to have relented.
The smooth succession was made possible with coalition partner BJP giving clear signals that it had no objection to Mehbooba Mufti taking over as CM, contrary to earlier speculation that the saffron party had some reservations.
Sayeed had taken over as J&K CM for a second term on March 1, 2015. He was flown to Delhi two days after he had complained of exhaustion during his hectic tour of Srinagar on December 22. He continued on antibiotics, anti-fungal drugs and supportive therapy at AIIMS’ ICU before being put on ventilator support a couple of days before the end came.
