Leaders pay tribute to Chandra Shekhar

NEW DELHI: President A P J Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Sunday paid their respects to former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar at his 3, South Avenue residence here where his body has been kept for  'darshan' since afternoon.

UPA presidential candidate Pratibha Patil and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit were also among a host of VIPs who paid respects to the departed leader who died this morning at the Apollo Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for cancer for the past three months.
  
Soon after the body was brought from AIIMS, where it was taken for embalming from Apollo Hospital, RJD leader and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Food Processing Industries Minister Subod Kant Sahay were the first to pay tribute to the departed leader.
  
Describing the death of the 'young turk' as shocking,  Lalu Prasad said the news ''left us stunned.''   ''He fought all his life for nation-building but could not defend himself against Cancer and ultimately left us all bereaved.''
  
A friend of friends, Mr Chandra Shekhar was a popular leader of the masses and a great human being, he said adding ''may his soul rest in peace''.
  
After paying his tributes, Mr Sharad Yadav of the JD (U) told mediapersons that Chandra Shekhar was a fearless leader and he was proud that he fought several 'battles' along with him shoulder to shoulder.
  
''A guardian of democracy, Chandra Shekharji was respected across political lines. Me and my party offer our sincere 'naman' to him.''
  
He was accompanied by Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Motilal  Vora. Former PM V P Singh also came to offer his condolences. He was followed by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
   
Chatterjee said the vacuum left by him would be felt for a long time as he was respected by leaders of all parties and people of all sections of society.
  
Offering glowing tributes to him Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the whole country and people will remember him for ages to come as Mr Chandra Shekhar was a man of sterling qualities and principled ways.
  
His passing away has ''left us sad and shocked,'' he added. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi also came to offer tributes.
 
Sonia Gandhi came an hour after the body arrived at his residence. She stayed there for a minute and went away after offering her respects to the departed leader.
  
She was followed by Dr Manmohan Singh who came at about 1245 hrs and stayed for nearly two minutes. Sheila Dikshit came at about 1310 hrs.
  
At one point of time Mr Shekhawat and Ms Pratibha Patil were together in the room where Chandra Shekhar's body was kept. Shekhawat was accompanied by Congress leader Dijvijay Singh. Soon after BJP president Rajnath Singh arrived along with Kalraj
Mishra.
  
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, who came along with Prakash Karat of the CPI, said his death was a big loss to Indian politics. ''Our association goes back to emergency days when he was a Janata Party leader and I was in the Jawaharlal Nehru University.''
  
He played a major role in coalition politics and by the dint of his abilities became the Prime Minister of the country, he added. Union Chemical and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said Chandra Shekhar was a 'yodha' (warrior) of politics who fought
relentlessly for the betterment of masses.
  
''With him an era had come an end. Belonging to the rare breed who did not compromise on their principles, Mr Chandra Shekhar remained a big name in Indian politics for more than five decades.'' His life will be an inspiration for the coming generations, Paswan added.
  
Among others who came to offer their respects for Chandra Shekhar were godman Chandraswami and Devi Prasad Tripathi of the Nationalist Congress Party, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and former Delhi CM Madan Lal Khurana. Dr Kalam came at about 1515 hrs.