Pranab Mukherjee’s funeral took place today at the Lodi Road crematorium in Delhi.
New Delhi:
Noting that many people were unable to attend the funeral of former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee due to the pandemic, his son Abhijit Mukherjee said today that the family would have considered holding the ceremony in West Bengal if there were no restrictions.
Pranab Mukherjee, who had tested positive for coronavirus and had been in a coma after brain surgery last month, died Monday night at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi at the age of 84.
Abhijeet Mukherjee said: “We would have considered taking his remains for the last rites to West Bengal, where our relatives and many of those associated with our family live.”
Some members of Pranab Mukherjee’s family and relatives paid their last respects wearing PPE equipment while following COVID-19 safeguards at the Lodhi Road electric crematorium in Delhi.
Abhijit Mukherjee thanked people for reaching out to his family first with prayers when his father was in the hospital and then expressing his condolences for his death, through phone calls and posts on social media.
“Many people wanted to attend his cremation, but it was not possible due to the COVID-19 situation. We thank all the people who were with us during this hour of pain,” he said.
Calling his father a “born soldier” who always fought against the odds, whether in his life as a student, as a lawyer or as a politician, he said: “When I contested the assembly elections in 2011, he advised me never to hold a grudge or feeling of revenge against anyone “.
Mukherjee said that his father used to say that “legislators should not be breaking the law.”
Some congressional workers and some supporters of the former president were also present at his funeral.
“My father Devendra Prasad Yadav and Pranab da had gone to college together and served together as ministers at the Center,” said Devendra Yadav’s son Brijendu Yadav, who was present at the crematorium along with his sisters Jaishree and Shubhra.
Former Union Minister and leader of the Bihar Congress, Devendra Yadav, died last month of a heart problem.
“We have nearly five decades of relationships with the Mukherjee family. I even campaigned for Pranab da when he challenged the election of Lok Sabha from the Jangipur seat in 2009,” Brijendu said.
Retired IPS officer SS Sandhu recalled his long association with Pranab Mukherjee.
“He was down to earth. I had close relationships with him that lasted four decades. I served under him when he was the country’s finance minister,” Sandhu said.
Pranab Mukherjee was admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi on August 10 and underwent surgery the same day for the removal of a clot in his brain.
He had also tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of his admission. The former president later developed a lung infection.
Pranab Mukherjee was the thirteenth president of India from 2012 to 2017.
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