Room for all: A 2004 photo of then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee meeting leaders of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Bilal Gani Lone, Abdul Gani Bhat, Maulana Abbas Ansari, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Fazal-Haq Qureshi, in New Delhi
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...kashmiriyat/article24720160.ece?homepage=true
Separatist, mainstream parties recollect with warmth their interaction with Vajpayee
Mainstream and separatist leaders on Thursday remembered former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as “the lone leader in New Delhi who shunned the beaten track and looked at the Kashmir problem from a humanistic standpoint and not through the military prism for the first time in the past many decades”.
Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq recalls his first meeting with Vajpayee in 1997 in New Delhi when he struck a chord immediately.
“I still remember his words from our first meeting:
‘Aghar alaag bhi hona hai, bhaiyoon ki tarah hongee [Even if we have to separate, it has to be like brothers parting ways],” the Mirwaiz told
The Hindu.
‘He let us talk to Pak.’
Crediting him with opening “a new chapter of hope in 2005 in Kashmir”, the Mirwaiz said his government at the Centre facilitated our leaders’ visit to Pakistan.
“He looked at Kashmir from the humanistic prism and not the military one. He even started educating the Indian masses on Kashmir, all alone. First time, we were allowed to talk to Pakistan. He believed that representatives of Kashmir should be given space to talk,” he said.
The Mirwaiz believes his political legacy still carries a window of opportunity. “Unfortunately, his policy was rolled back by the present regime.
It’s again the old approach that Kashmir is to be dealt with through the barrel of a gun. This regime buried Vajpayee’s legacy unceremoniously,” the Mirwaiz added.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Nayeem Akhtar said Vajpayee stunned his own Cabinet colleagues and senior officials from Delhi when he decided to extend a hand of friendship to Pakistan from the soil of
Jammu and Kashmir in 2003.
“Mufti Muhammad Sayeed accompanied him from the airport to the venue in Srinagar. He listened to Mr. Sayeed’s approach patiently and decided to change his speech and reach out to Pakistan immediately,” Mr. Akhtar said.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah, in a joint statement, said, “Vajpayee’s golden words on Kashmir would be remembered for all times to come,” referring to his famous phrase of resolving the Kashmir issue within the ambit of humanity.
“His template is for others to follow and imbibe. He still remains as one of the few politicians who have a huge fan following in Kashmir,” Dr. Abdullah said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti described him as “a crusader of peace who understood Kashmir and initiated a series of confidence building measures.” “He will be remembered for not following the beaten track.”
From mainstream to separatist parties, Mr. Vajpayee’s phrases like resolve the Kashmir problem within ‘Kashmiriyat, Jamhooriyat, Insaniyat’ still find resonance across the board.
***********
Atal Bihari Vajpayee in traditional Naga attire in 2003. | Photo Credit:
Ritu Raj Konwar
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...f-the-nagas/article24720111.ece?homepage=true
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018)
The former Prime Minister’s choice of words at a public reception in Kohima in 2003, endeared him to the people who had never thought highly of “Indian” leaders.
Six Prime Ministers have visited
Nagaland. But none of them, including Narendra Modi, has found as much space in the heart of the Nagas as Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
It was not just because Vajpayee was the first Prime Minister to recognise the “unique history of the Nagas” and provide a development package. His choice of words at a public reception in the State capital Kohima on October 28, 2003, endeared him to the people who — because of years of separatism — had never thought highly of “Indian” leaders.
His opening line in Nagamese, the State’s
lingua franca, translated into: “My dear brothers and sisters, I am very happy to be in your midst on the soil of Nagaland.”
“For too long, this fair land has been scarred and seared by violence ... My government has been doing everything possible to stop this bloodshed, so that we can together inaugurate a new era of peace, development and prosperity in Nagaland,” he said.
Abu Metha, a leader of the party Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio belongs to, was the editor of a local daily when Mr. Vajpayee visited the State that year. He recalled how he took a split-second decision to travel by road to Kohima from Dimapur when the helicopter trip was called off because of bad weather.
“This decision by the Prime Minister to come to Kohima by road and travel for close to two hours has, indeed, won the hearts of the Naga people in more ways than one.
While on the bumpy road, Mr. Vajpayee passed instructions for the road to be converted into four-lane.
The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland also recalled the role Mr. Vajayee played in taking the Naga peace process forward. “During his leadership, the unique history and situation of the Nagas was officially recognised by the Government of India on July 11, 2002,” it said on Thursday.
*************
Atal Bihari Vajpayee funeral: South Asia united in grief, in attendance at Smriti Sthal
Final moments: Family members and political leaders at the funeral of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi on Friday.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...mriti-sthal/article24719836.ece?homepage=true
King of Bhutan and special envoys from the South Asian neighbours lead the diplomatic delegation at the funeral.
The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and special envoys from the South Asian neighbours led the diplomatic delegation at the
funeral of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi on Friday.
Foreign Minister of Nepal Pradeep Gyawali, Pakistani Minister of Justice Syed Ali Zafar, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, and former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai were among those who attended the last rites at Smriti Sthal.
President Vladmir Putin of Russia extended his condolences on the demise of the leader and remembered Vajpayee for his ‘personal contribution’ to India-Russia bilateral ties.
“He will be remembered as a politician who made a great personal contribution to the development of friendly relations between our countries and the development of Russian-Indian highly privileged strategic partnership,” the Russian leader said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018): A storied career with poetic flourishes
Mr. Karzai sat through the funeral alongside Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella and met a cross section of dignitaries in attendance. Speaking to
The Hindu, Mr. Karzai said, “Mr. Vajpayee had a very straightforward and strong policy with Afghanistan. He was the first to offer us civilian planes, Airbuses at the time we were starting out.” Mr. Karzai was the first Afghan President to work with Prime Minister Vajpayee after the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj welcomed the visiting dignitaries before the
funeral began at 4 p.m. as messages poured in from the global capitals.
President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena said in his message that Vajpayee was a “true friend of Sri Lanka”. The Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali conveyed personal condolences from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Ms. Swaraj. Ms. Hasina described Mr. Vajpayee as one of the “most famous sons of India”, said, “Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was our great friend and highly respected in Bangladesh.”
Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli extended condolences, and said that in Vajpayee’s death, Nepal had lost a “true friend and well-wisher.”
Nepal’s Foreign Minister handed over Mr. Oli’s letter of condolence to Indian officials.
************
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan’s acting Law and Information Minister Syed Ali Zafar during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cremation at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi on August 17, 2018. | Photo Credit:
PTI
Pakistan Minister Syed Ali Zafar’s message would have left Vajpayee happy
New Delhi, August 18, 2018 00:30 IST
Updated: August 18, 2018 00:30 IST
Visiting acting Law and Information Minister says there is a thaw in India-Pakistan relations.
The decision to send a Pakistani delegation to attend former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s funeral was taken by “all stakeholders” including Prime Minister-designate Imran Khan, said visiting acting Law and Information Minister Syed Ali Zafar. “This was an occasion where all felt that Pakistan must be present and share your grief,” Mr. Zafar, who is part of the caretaker government demitting office, said in an interview to
The Hindu.
Positive move
“A very positive move and hopes of a thaw came during Mr. Imran Khan’s speech after the election and then the call by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi [to congratulate Mr. Khan] changed the mood positively.”
Mr. Zafar met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, one of the very few meetings she has had with Pakistani officials since her visit to Islamabad in December 2015, after which the Pathankot airbase attack derailed ties.
The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said the two leaders had remembered a “visionary (Vajpayee) who dreamed [of a] terror-free and prosperous subcontinent,” a reference to India’s demand that Pakistan end support to terror groups.
Recites poem
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Mr. Zafar, who recited Mr. Vajpayee’s poem from his visit to Lahore in 1999, “
Jung nahin hone denge (We won’t allow a war)”, also said that he hoped there would be other “less sad” meetings when “[India-Pakistan] issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, will be resolved through dialogue.”
Asked if tensions between the two countries had been discussed in his meeting with Ms. Swaraj, Mr. Zafar replied, “This was not the occasion to discuss issues of a political nature.”
“Our meeting was positive, and I sensed a feeling from both sides that there could be progress, and I hope that in the coming days we could see more such meetings and progress,” Mr. Zafar, who flew back to Islamabad on Friday night, added.
*************
Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks on at the burning funeral pyre of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi on August 17, 2018. | Photo Credit:
AFP
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...karmabhoomi/article24719898.ece?homepage=true
Ashes to be immersed in 150 places in Uttar Pradesh.
The ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be immersed in the major rivers of all the districts of Uttar Pradesh, the Yogi Adityanath government has decided.
The Chief Minister took the decision taking into view ‘public sentiments’ so that the “people get a chance to associate with the final journey” of the former PM, a government spokesperson said on Friday.
“Uttar Pradesh was former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji’s
karmabhoomi. He had a deep connect with every part of Uttar Pradesh,” Mr. Adityanath said.
The ashes would be immersed at over 150 places in rivers across the State. This would include the Yamuna in Agra and Allahabad, the Ganga in Varanasi, Allahabad and Kanpur, Gomti in Lucknow and Ghagra in Gorakhpur. The State has 75 districts.
The State government has also indicated that it would build memorials in honour of Mr. Vajpayee, also a five-time MP from the Uttar Pradesh capital, in places closely associated with him.
The list includes Mr. Vajpayee’s ancestral village Bateshwar in Agra; Kanpur, where he studied political science at the DAV College; Balrampur, Mr. Vajpayee’s first Lok Sabha seat that he won in 1957 and Lucknow, his ‘karmabhoomi.’
Mr. Vajpayee was a five-time MP from the Uttar Pradesh capital, holding the seat from 1991 to 2009, during the peak of his political life
Even after he drifted away from the mainstream politics, his persona continued to dominate the electoral politics in Lucknow.
and with his blessings his close aide Lalji Tandon won the seat in 2009.
In 2014, too, Mr. Vajpayee’s legacy was a key point in the battle for Lucknow where the BJP’s Rajnath Singh, today Union Home Minister, went head to head with Rita Bahuguna Joshi, then with the Congress. Today, she is a Cabinet Minister in BJP-ruled UP.
During the 2014 polls, Mr. Singh regularly evoked Mr. Vajpayee’s legacy in his speeches and sabhas, but the highlight of the campaign was when he flaunted the angvastram (stole) gifted to him by the former PM during his nomination.
In response, Ms. Joshi roped in Karuna Shukla, Mr. Vajpayee’s niece, to campaign for her.
*************
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...ays-jaitley/article24719198.ece?homepage=true
‘A product of parliamentary democracy’
Union Minister Arun Jaitley has described former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a product of parliamentary democracy who accepted criticism, and as the “quintessential gentleman.”
“Atalji’s demise is referred to by many as the end of an era. I, however, consider it as a continuation of the era of which he was one who laid the foundation,” he said in a blog on Mr. Vajpayee under whom he served as a Minister in the first NDA government.
“In the world’s largest democracy, only the Congress dominated in the first few decades. Atalji created an alternative, which in the last two decades became larger and bigger than the Congress. Along with [L.K.] Advaniji, he created a second line of leaders both at the Centre and in the States,” he wrote. “He was always at ease dealing with both friends and opponents and had never allowed himself to get into any petty controversy.”
He said the Pokhran nuclear test in 1998 was a defining moment of his government and he went out of the way to work for peace with Pakistan. “But when the need arose, he inflicted a severe blow on it [Pakistan] in Kargil. Both Pokhran and Kargil were his high points.”
On the economic front, Mr. Jaitley called Mr. Vajpayee a liberaliser, pointing to the National Highways, rural roads, better infrastructure, a new telecom policy that was pragmatic and a new electricity law.
Above all, Mr. Jaitley added, “Atalji was a democrat. His political style was liberal. He bore no malice. He communicated even with those who disagreed [with him].”
***********
Atal Bihari Vajpayee greets his successor Manmohan Singh at the National Integration Council meeting in New Delhi on August 31, 2005. | Photo Credit:
Sandeep Saxena
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...ed-nehrus-vision-of-india/article24710747.ece
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018)
The former Prime Minister says his predecessor was committed to a consensus approach in politics.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee stood among the tallest leaders of modern India, his successor Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said in an interview. Dr. Singh said both he and Mr. Vajpayee carried forward each other’s policies on economic liberalisation and ties with the U.S. and Pakistan. Excerpts:
What does the passing of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee mean for the nation?
Vajpayeeji was truly a great Indian and a great Prime Minister, and his idea of India, I found in many ways was close to Nehru’s vision of India, and that’s the legacy I feel should be preserved. Political differences will be there, but Nehru’s vision of India, both in domestic policies and international affairs, was something Vajpayeeji also subscribed to.
But Mr. Vajpayee differed with Mr. Nehru and Nehruvian ideals on many counts, primarily on domestic politics. What do you think was the similar chord?
I think in politics, people should not be judged by what they say, but what they do, and in terms of actions, the approaches of these two great men were not very different.
What were your own relations with him?
I had developed good relations with Mr. Vajpayee when I was Finance Minister. I used to consult him and I believe both he and Advaniji were in sympathy with the liberalisation policies that I was advocating. And on important occasions, like when I presented the Budget for 1992, and fertiliser prices were a big issue, he rescued me in Parliament. Once, when I had a very rough time in Parliament, he called me, and said, ‘Dr. Singh, one ought to have a thick skin. Even if we don’t support you, you must stay strong on your path,’ he said.
Is that kind of bonhomie now also a thing of the past?
Well, he was truly committed to a consensus approach to politics. That legacy is now in danger, and the challenge before the country is how not to do what will hurt the legacies of Jawaharlal Nehru and A.B. Vajpayee.
You spoke about Mr. Vajpayee taking forward your legacy of economic liberalisation, but you also took forward some of Mr. Vajpayee’s initiatives…
In two areas — relations with the United States, and ties with Pakistan, I took more or less the same line as Mr. Vajpayee had taken. The Vajpayee government started the process of reaching out to the U.S. after our nuclear explosion in Pokharan, but those discussions broke down. When I became PM, I said to our officials that that is a path we must pursue. On Pakistan, I was in great sympathy with Atalji’s approach to make peace. Atalji’s approach in dealing with the internal dissensions in the Kashmir valley, were best summed up by his slogan:
Insaniyat, Jumhooriyat, Kashmiriyat, which should be our norm.
Mr. Vajpayee also travelled to Pakistan for the SAARC summit…
I think that relations in our neighbourhood, and that includes China, are important for India to realise its chosen destiny. It was ahead of Mr. Vajpayee’s visit that President Musharraf promised that Pakistan would not allow its territory to be used by terrorists. Frankly, without that statement, without Mr. Vajpayee’s visit, I would never have been able to proceed with my efforts in normalising relations.
Were there also confrontations with him?
Well, I spoke to him intensively about what we were doing with the nuclear deal with the US. I called on Mr. Vajpayee, wrote him a letter but by then the BJP had decided to try and defeat our government. While I think they had no serious objections to the deal or normalising relations with the US, they did not want the Congress to take the credit for it perhaps.
***********
‘Dominated Oppn. space like a titan’
Former President Pranab Mukherjee described Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a titan, while Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, “India has lost a great son who was loved and respected by millions.”
In keeping with the stature of the former Prime Minister, even political rivals were effusive in their praise. In a letter to Mr. Vajpayee’s foster daughter Namita, Mr. Mukherjee wrote, “A democrat to the core, Atal
ji dominated the Opposition space like a titan and led the Government with aplomb. An inheritor and practitioner of the best traditions and qualities of leadership, in his demise the nation has lost a great son. An era that will always be fondly remembered has passed away.”
The Congress chief, who was among the first few political leaders to have visited him at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said, “Today India lost a great son. Former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, was loved and respected by millions. My condolences to his family & all his admirers. We will miss him.”
Leaders remembered the former Prime Minister’s ability to build consensus as a hallmark of his politics. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said it was Mr. Vajpayee who didn’t allow the BJP to go extreme right.
“He led his party to its first victory in national elections and established the credentials of the BJP to run the Central government… As long as he was at the helm, he resolutely anchored the BJP close to the middle and did not allow the party to swing to the extreme right of the political spectrum,” he said.
He noted that among many things, Mr. Vajpayee’s long lasting legacy will be his genuine efforts to resolve the decades-long hostility between Pakistan and India
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “He never hesitated in giving full credit to his Opposition party leaders whenever due.”
*************
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...nalists-for-the-last-time/article24710673.ece
Ill-health forced an unexpected exit of party stalwart from the political stage.
It was almost 11 years ago, in 2007, that Atal Bihari Vajpayee made his last public appearance in a brief meeting with a few journalists, who had gathered at his residence on December 25 to wish him on his birthday.
The key question for mediapersons that day was whether Mr. Vajpayee was ready for another fight in 2009 or would his deteriorating health ensure his retirement from active politics and see the rise of L. K. Advani as the party’s unchallenged leader.
A group of about 10 journalists sought out BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain amid a crowd of frenzied, supporters at Mr. Vajpayee’s 8, Krishna Menon Marg residence and urged him to facilitate a meeting.
Mr. Hussain assured the journalists that he would arrange a short meeting with the ailing leader. And minutes later, the brief meeting materialised.
As we queued up to enter his room, we were asked to just wish him and leave.
As we entered his room, it was a very different Mr. Vajpayee who faced us. He sat on a chair, one hand almost immovable, his face pale and lined — age and ailment starkly visible — without the trademark wide smile.
We gathered around him in a circle, just getting to wish him. The politician, once famed for his oratory, just whispered “
namaskar” to each of us.
And the meeting ended.
The former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at a meeting on the sharing of Cauvery waters, in New Delhi on October 28, 1998.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...political-message-in-1984/article24710371.ece
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018)
He had a bond with Karnataka; was arrested in the city after Emergency was declared
Na dainyam, na palayanam (Neither do I beg for mercy, nor do I run away). This famous phrase was quoted by Bharatiya Janata Party veteran Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1984 to instil confidence in the cadre of the party which had been reduced to just two MPs in the Lok Sabha elections amid the pro-Congress wave after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Senior leaders and functionaries of the BJP recollect that Mr. Vajpayee had said this after visiting the family of a party worker from Bhadravati in Shivamogga district who had committed suicide following the party’s miserable poll performance.
This was a morale booster for rebuilding the party. Since then it has become almost a tradition for party leaders to refer to this phrase and the circumstances in which it was used whenever the party finds itself in a demoralising situation.
Arrest during Emergency
Mr. Vajpayee always had a bond with Bengaluru and
Karnataka as he used to visit the State regularly. In fact, like many of his party colleagues, he too was arrested on June 26, 1975 in Bengaluru following the declaration of the Emergency. Though he was first lodged in the Bengaluru Central Jail, he was later shifted out of the State.
According to the book
My Country My Life written by BJP veteran L.K. Advani, Mr. Vajpayee underwent an operation for appendicitis in Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru when he had been imprisoned.
But only after the operation was over, it was discovered that the intense pain he was suffering from was owing to another ailment, according to the book. He was later shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
Party old timers remember how Mr. Vajpayee, during his several visits, toured the State in a car along with leaders such as V.S. Acharya and B.B. Shivappa.
During all his visits to the State, he left behind an indelible impression owing to his simplicity and statesmanship. Recalling one of his visits to the State, when he was put up in the government guest house Kumara Krupa, a BJP functionary said, “There was darkness because of power supply problem when he wanted to shave early in the morning before leaving for New Delhi. He shaved in candlelight. He could not get hot water for bath. Not willing to miss the flight, he took bath in cold water on that chilly morning. Before leaving the guest house, he instructed the party functionaries not to take up the matter with any higher-ups. ‘Such lapses do happen in any government guest house. We should not make an issue out of it,’ he had remarked.”
He was always appreciative of the manner in which Bengaluru city had carved a niche for itself owing to its technical excellence. He had voiced this during his visit to Bengaluru as the Prime Minister by saying, “Let many a Bengaluru bloom.”
https://www.thehindu.com/news/inter...ce-of-ties-with-us-pompeo/article24713171.ece
Pompeo recalled that Vajpayee had famously characterized U.S.-India ties as a “natural partnership of shared endeavors” in his speech to the U.S Congress in 2000.
A B Vajpayee had recognized the promise of India-U.S ties, the U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a tribute to the first BJP Prime Minister of India. “He recognized early on that the United States and India, based on their shared democratic values, could develop a partnership that would contribute to the economic prosperity and security of the region and the world,” Mr. Pompeo said in a statement. He recalled that Vajpayee had famously characterized U.S.-India ties as a “natural partnership of shared endeavors” in his speech to the U.S Congress in 2000.
“On behalf of the people of the United States of America, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the people of India on the recent passing of Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” the Secretary of State, who is scheduled to travel to India next month for the first 2+2 dialogue between the two countries said.
“We know that many Indians will reflect on Prime Minister Vajpayee’s many contributions that led to India’s rise as a global and economic power. He championed tirelessly for his country’s development and demonstrated a devotion to improving the lives of every Indian. Today, our two countries and our bilateral relationship continue to benefit from Prime Minister Vajpayee’s vision, which helped promote expanded cooperation. The American people and I stand with the people of India as we mourn Prime Minister Vajpayee’s passing. Today, we hold the people of India in our thoughts and prayers,” Mr. Pompeo said.
Photos: Thousands accompany Vajpayee on final journey to Smriti Sthal
Aug 17, 2018 18:05 IST
7/8
BJP President Amit Shah pays his last respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee as he pays last respects at BJP headquarters, in New Delhi. A seven-day state mourning has been announced as a mark of respect for the former Prime Minister who passed away aged 93. (Kamal singh / PTI)
7/8
A massive crowd of followers and mourners joins the cortege as it moves from the BJP headquarters down Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. The former PM’s mortal remains are being taken to Smriti Sthal. (SAnchit Khanna / HT Photo)
7/8
President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah along with other leaders, paid their last respect to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The last rites were performed by Vajpayee’s foster daughter Namita Bhattarcharya at the Smriti Sthal on the banks of Yamuna with full state honours. (Ajay Aggarwal / HT Photo)
7/8
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) lays a wreath next to the body of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi. Three-time Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee died August 16, sparking tributes from across the political spectrum as current leader Narendra Modi mourned the "irreplaceable loss" of the respected statesman. (PIB / AFP)
7/8
The cortege carrying the mortal remains of Atal Bihari Vajpayee leaves from his Krishna Menon Marg residence towards BJP headquarters at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg for the last rites. People were heard chanting ‘Atal Bihari amar rahe’, ‘Vande Mataram’ as Vajpayee’s final journey began. (SAnchit Khanna / HT Photo)
7/8
Traffic restrictions on several roads in Delhi are in place to ensure a smooth movement with citizens advised to take alternate routes as thousands of mourners are expected to reach central Delhi to pay homage to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)
7/8
The cortege crosses Tilka Marg crossing. Hours after the announcement of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s death, officials from the North Delhi Municipal Corporation received the first set of directions — to arrange sandalwood and sweep the route from the BJP headquarters to the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where the last rites of the former PM will be held. (Vipin Kumar / HT Photo)
7/8
The cortege and bier arrive at BJP headquarters. Delhi BJP leaders have said around 50,000-60,000 party members would be present at the party headquarters. Civic authorities are expecting around 1-2 lakh people assembling to pay homage. (Mohd Zakir / HT Photo)
