Dignitaries, including Vice President Dhankar and Haryana CM, bid farewell to Chautala, with family members at the last rites.
Chandigarh: The mortal remains of former Haryana Chief Minister and veteran politician were laid to rest with full state honours at his residence in Sirsa on Saturday. Thousands gathered to pay their final respects to the stalwart leader, who served as Chief Minister five times and was elected as an MLA seven times. Chautala suffered a cardiac arrest at his home on Friday morning and breathed his last at a hospital in Gurugram.
Adorned with a green turban, opticals, and wrapped in the tricolor-symbolising his towering political legacy. Dignitaries from across the state and nation, including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar along with his wife Sudesh Dhankar, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini, Union and state ministers, MPs, and MLAs, arrived to bid a heartfelt farewell to Chautala.
Chautala’s family members including former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, his father and OP Chautala’s elder son, Ajay Chatuala reached the Teja Khera farm and participated in the last rites.
Speaking on the occasion the vice president shared his experiences and meetings with OP Chautala and described him as a mass leader and well-wisher of farmers. Describing Chautala as an architect of social harmony, Dhankar said that the welfare of the farmer is the eternal path to the country’s progress and this is also in the country’s interest.
“Throughout his life, he dedicated himself to farmer welfare and rural development. He was one of the main architects of the big political change of 1989. His aim was to make farmers debt free. The farmer loan waiver initiative of the Janata Dal government was his initiative. Undoubtedly, the goal of country development and developed India is possible only by serving the interests of rural and farmers”, the vice president said adding that today there is a need to be determined-issues related to the farmer should be resolved through dialogue and empathy.
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini described Chautala as a symbol of simplicity and struggle.
“He was a visionary leader who launched several schemes for rural development, education and improvement of infrastructure. His demise has ended a chapter in Haryana politics”, he added.
Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma also paid his tribute to OP Chatuala and described him as a visionary leader. Born on January 1, 1935, in Chautala village of Haryana’s Sirsa district, Chatuala served as the Chief Minister of Haryana five times between 1989 to 2005.