New Delhi: The ashes of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be immersed at three places in Rajasthan on August 22. The ashes were earlier scheduled to be brought to Jaipur from New Delhi on Monday. However, as per the new schedule, the ashes will be brought to Rajasthan for immersion on Wednesday.
Earlier, Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Lal Saini said that Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Arun Chaturvedi will bring the ashes to Jaipur from New Delhi, which will be kept at BJP headquarters here for people to pay tributes.
The ashes will be then taken for immersion in Beneshwar Dham in Dungarpur, Chambal river in Kota and Pushkar Sarovar in Ajmer, Saini said in a statement. Tributes by all parties will be given to the former Prime Minister on August 21 at Mahaveer School in Jaipur, he said.
In the statement, he also expressed concerns over loss of lives in Kerala floods, saying the BJP will support the affected people in all manners.
Rajasthan and its people have always come forward and offered help in disaster situations in the country, he said.
In the meantime, the Uttar Pradesh government has said that Vajpayee's ashes will be immersed in all rivers in the state. Jharkhand and Rajasthan have also announced that the former prime minister’s ashes will be immersed in rivers in their states.
On Sunday, Vajpayee's ashes were immersed at Har ki Paudi – a ghat dedicated to Shiva and a landmark in Haridwar – by his foster daughter Namita Bhattacharya and granddaughter Niharika. As per an Indian Express report, a huge crowd had gathered at the ghat during the ceremony. The crowd also followed the truck carrying Vajpayee's urn.
Vajpayee, one of India's most charismatic leaders, who led the nation through several crises while holding together a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics and superlative oratory, died on August 16 at the age of 93. He was cremated with full state honours.
(With ANI inputs)
