Shimla: Himachal Pradesh political leaders today paid tribute to the former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratan late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who breathed his last at New Delhi on 16th of this month. Urn (Asthi Kalash) of Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was brought from New Delhi which was received by the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and kept at The Ridge, where people of different walks of life paid tributes to their beloved leader.
Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, Virbhadra Singh and Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Dr. Rajiv Bindal, CLP leader Mukesh Agnihotri, Council of Ministers, Deputy Speaker Vidhan Sabha Hans Raj, Member of Parliament Anurag Thakur, Virender Kashyap and Ram Swaroop Sharma, MLAs, CPM leader and MLA Rakesh Singha, Chief Secretary Vineet Chawdhry, other senior officers of the State Government and people of different walks of the life paid floral tributes on portrait of Former Prime Minister.
Paying rich tribute to former Prime Minister, Governor Acharya Devvrat said that he was universally loved politician and great personality who, over the decades, had emerged as a statesman with national appeal. He said that Shri Vajpayee was a legendary and visionary leader who defined highest values of leadership and his contribution for the development of the country would be remembered for the years to come.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, in his tribute, said that Shri Vajpayee was a statesman, a visionary leader, who was above the party politics and his demise was indeed a great loss to the nation in general and Himachal Pradesh in particular.
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda while paying his tributes said that Shri Vajpayee was in public life for over seventy years, but despite this, probably was the only leader who has only earned friends during his political life. He said that Shri Vajpayee made India a Nuclear Power despite pressure from international community. He said that the biggest tribute to Shri Vajpayee would be that we all walk on the footprints of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Speaker Vidhan Sabha Dr. Rajiv Bindal while paying his tributes said that Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not only a national leader but a world leader. He was respected and admired by one and all.
Former Chief Minister Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a statesman par excellence who had great respect for democracy. He said that Shri Vajpayee even took criticism in healthy spirit. He said that Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister has always considerate towards the developmental needs of the people of the State.
Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that Shri Vajpayee had a special place in Indian politics. He said that Shri Vajpayee was always eager to help the needy, without discrimination. He said that Shri Vajpayee would always remain source of inspiration for the generations to come. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the pride of Lok Sabha, he added.
Former Chief Minister and MP Shanta Kumar while paying his tributes said that he was a unparalleled leader in the Indian politics. He was always ready even to acknowledge the contributions of his political opponents. He was a sensitive poet and equally sensitive politician.
A documentary on the Himachal sojourn of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee produced by Information and Public Relations Department was also shown on the occasion.
