Former chief minister of Punjab and former governor of Haryana and Orissa Harcharan Singh Brar, died in his native village Sarai Naga at the age of 87.
Former chief minister of Punjab and former governor of Haryana and Orissa Harcharan Singh Brar, died in his native village Sarai Naga in the district today at the age of 87 following prolonged illness.
Brar, who was a senior Congress leader, is survived by his widow Gurbinder Kaur Brar, a son Kanwarjit Singh Brar, who is an MLA from Muktsar and a daughter Kanwaljit Kaur alias Bubli Brar, his family said.
The Punjab Government has declared a three day state mourning while the Haryana Government has declared two day mourning as a mark of respect to Brar.
During the mourning period the national flag would be flown at half mast throughout the two states and there will be no official entertainment during the period, official spokesmen of the two states said.
The Punjab Government has also declared a holiday in all government offices, boards, corporations and educational institutions tomorrow.
Brar, who remained governor of Haryana from September 24, 1977 to December 9, 1979 and that of Orissa for around six months in 1976, will be cremated in his native village Sarai Naga tomorrow afternoon.
He had taken over as chief minister of Punjab on August 31, 1995 after the assassination of the then chief minister Beant Singh in a bomb blast outside the Punjab and Haryana Secretariat in Chandigarh.
He remained chief minister till November 21, 1996 and was also credited with the creation of Muktsar and Moga districts out of Faridkot district.
Haryana governor Jagan Nath Pahadia and chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana Parkash Singh Badal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Punjab Congress president Mohinder Singh Kaypee were among those who have condoled the death of Brar.
Badal described Brar as a true statesman and a matured politician. "In the death of Brar the state has lost a balanced and experienced leader, who stood for politics of consensus and held the Opposition in high esteem, always opting for the path of conciliation rather than confrontation," he added
Pahadia and Hooda described Brar as a seasoned and visionary leader who had served the people in many capacities, an official statement of the Haryana Government said.
Describing Brar as a broad minded and kind hearted person and a great social worker, they said that he did a yeoman service to the mankind by saving and sheltering many innocent Muslims and running free Langer for displaced persons who came to India from Pakistan during the upheaval of 1947.
Born on January 21, 1922 in village Sarai Naga to Balwant Singh, Brar graduated from Government College at Lahore and was elected MLA from Muktsar in 1960.
He was elected MLA four times from different places including Muktsar in 1962, Giderabaha in 1967, Kotkapura in 1969 and from Muktsar in 1992.
An agriculturist by profession, he remained governor of Orissa and Haryana, chief minister of Punjab and Cabinet minister in Punjab on several occasions.
He widely traveled to Australia, Singapore, Europe, England, Egypt, and few Middle East countries and was a keen sportsmen and evinced interest in Cricket, Hockey, Tennis, Riding and Golf.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}