Former five-time Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch Parkash Singh Badal breathed his last on Tuesday. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and several central ministers and chief ministers were among leaders cutting across party lines who condoled his demise and hailed his immense contribution to the state as well as the country. Badal was 95.
President Droupadi Murmu said, “Though his exemplary career in public service was largely confined to Punjab, he was respected across the country. His demise leaves a void. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers.”
Prime Minister Modi described Badal’s demise as a “personal loss” and said he was a “colossal figure of Indian politics” who contributed greatly to the nation. The PM remembered his decades-long association with Badal and added that the five-time CM worked tirelessly for the progress of Punjab and anchored the state through critical times.
Expressing his condolences, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, “He was an able administrator and above all a fine human being with qualities of head and heart.”
Mann’s Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal also expressed his condolences.
Former Prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh, in a statement, paid rich tributes to the veteran politician.
“Parkash Singh Badal ji was a political stalwart who played a significant role in Punjab politics for many decades. In his long political and administrative career, a five-time Chief Minister of Punjab, he made several noteworthy contributions towards the welfare of farmers and other weaker sections of our society,” Singh said, fondly remembering his interactions with the politician.
The Congress said his demise marked the end of an era in Indian politics. In a tweet, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Although we differed in our ideologies, he earned immense respect among the people of Punjab for his simplicity and loyalty to his cadre, as he served multiple terms as CM.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the death was saddening and said that he was a “lifelong leader of the politics of India and Punjab”.
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also condoled the death.
His cremation ceremony, which will be held at his ancestral village in Badal, Muktsa district, is expected to be attended by a large number of people, including political leaders, dignitaries, and admirers from across the state.