Top leaders of the NDA today described Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as a "towering personality" in the Indian politics and the "most trustworthy and the strongest ally" of the alliance of the opposition parties.
These leaders, including the BJP stalwarts LK Advani, Gujarat CM Narendera Modi, Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj and the INLD chief and former CM of Haryana Om Parkash Chautala, were paying tributes to Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of Parkash Singh Badal, at her bhog and Antim Ardas here today. Surinder Kaur had passed away on May 24.
Congress Working Committee member Jagmeet Brar described Badal as a "leader of the masses", who had been struggling for the rights of Punjab.
Parkash Singh Badal was equally full of praise for the Congress leadership, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, PPCC chief Amarinder Singh, leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and others for being among the first to share the grief of his family. Cutting across the party lines, people had expressed grief on the death of Surinder Kaur, he said.
Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and his wife Harsimrat Kaur sat with folded hands throughout the ceremony. While other leaders sat with Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir, Maneka Gandhi chose to sit with Harsimrat and Badal's daughter Parneet Kaur.
Thousands of people from across Punjab converged here to attend the bhog and pay homage to her.
BJP leaders Maneka Gandhi and MP and chief of the BJP youth wing Anurag Thakur were also among others present on the occasion.
The bhog ceremony virtually turned into a show of solidarity of the NDA leadership with Parkash Singh Badal.
Most of the leaders urged the gathering to return from here with a pledge to eradicate the social evils of female foeticide and wasteful expenditure during marriage.
Paying tributes, Advani recalled his ties with the Badal family and urged people to take the pledge of eradicating the menace of female foeticide in Punjab as a real tribute to Surinder Kaur Badal. Advani lauded the efforts of MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who had already launched a crusade against this evil.
Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, described Badal as one of the tallest figure in the national arena who enjoys great respect.
Paying homage to Surinder Kaur, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said people should rid Punjab of the social evil of female foeticide. He was all praise for Sukhbir, who, he said, possessed tremendous capability that has put Punjab in the high orbit of growth and development.
Former Chief Minister of Haryana and president of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) Om Parkash Chautala said politics was a whole-time job and Badal had done justice to it only due to sheer dedication and motivation of his wife.
President of the Lok Bhalai Party Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said the real tribute to Surinder Kaur Badal would be to ban the extravagant marriages in the state.
Member of the National Executive of the Communist Party of India, Joginder Dayal, also stressed on the need to eradicate female foeticide that has become a slur on the face of Punjab.
Among others who spoke on the occasion were Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of the Akal Takht and Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, head of the Damdami Taksal. Several other members of the Sant Samaj were also present.
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