Parkash Singh Badal cremated at ancestral village

Badal (Punjab): Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal was cremated with full state honours at his ancestral village in Punjab's Muktsar district on Thursday with thousands of mourners and leaders across the political spectrum paying their last respects to the five-time chief minister. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal lit the funeral pyre at a special platform erected for the last rites.

Badal's mortal remains were taken to the family's farmland, around a kilometer from his residence, on a flower-decked tractor-trolley with his son Sukhbir Singh Badal and other family members standing with folded hands as the vehicle moved past the mourners on the route. Overcome by emotions, Sukhbir Badal and his sister Parneet Kaur Kairon broke down before the body was consigned to flames.

Badal died at a private hospital in Mohali on Tuesday, nine days after being admitted there with breathing problems. People from all walks of life including politicians and religious leaders turned up at the village to pay tribute to the leader whose political career began seven decades ago when he became the sarpanch of Badal panchayat. BJP president J P Nadda, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference's Omar Abdullah visited Badal village to pay their last respects. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann were also among the mourners. Heavy security arrangements were made in the village in view of the visits by the political leaders.

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, and former union minister Praful Patel also paid homage to the former chief minister.