Badal mourns death of former PM IK Gujral

by Punjabnewswire4u
CHANDIGARH, NOV 30

            Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Inder Kumar Gujral, who passed away at Delhi after prolonged illness.

            In a condolence message, the Chief Minister described Mr Gujral as a true patriot, an eminent statesman, able administrator and distinguished Parliamentarian besides a fine human being with rare qualities of head and heart. Mr Badal said, “Mr Gujral was a true son of the soil as he was instrumental in waiving off the long pending debt of Punjab during his brief stint as Prime Minister of the nation”. Recalling his long association with Mr Gujral, the Chief Minister said that the former Prime Minister was ever ready to resolve any issue related to Punjab. He said that the Punjabis would ever remember Mr Gujral’s immense contribution in ushering an era of unprecedented development and progress in the state.

The Chief Minister said that Mr Gujral’s forthright initiatives in fostering goodwill, trust, peace and amity in Indian Subcontinent especially in strengthening Indo-Pak relations would ever be remembered by one and all. Later these initiatives popularly known as ‘Gujral Doctrine’ were widely admired in the international polity in bringing peace and friendship besides improving bilateral ties between India and Pakistan, which originally laid the foundation of  the ongoing steps taken in the form of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to further smoothen relations between both the countries.  He said that being a multi faceted personality Mr Gujral was an institution in himself, who played a proactive role in promoting the ethos of democracy by strengthening the bonds of national integration, communal harmony and universal brotherhood besides a true champion of freedom of Press. Having deep regard and passion for Punjabi culture, language and literature, he was a true votary of Punjab, Punjabi and Panjabiat, added Mr Badal.  

            Terming Mr Gujral’s demise as a personal loss, the Chief Minister said in his death a void has been created in the national as well as international polity, which was hard to be filled in near future. Mr Badal said in the passing away of Mr Gujral he has lost a true friend, a guide and a philosopher to whom he always held him in high esteem and reverence.

            Sharing his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family especially his son and Rajya Sabha MP Mr Naresh Gujral, the Chief Minister prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give courage to bear this huge loss in this hour of crisis.