UNION
CABINET CONDOLES SHRI KRISHAN KANT'S DEMISE
An emergency meeting of the Union Cabinet was
held today at the Prime Minister’s House to condole the demise
of Vice-President, Shri Krishan Kant. The Cabinet passed the following
resolution at the meeting:
"The Union Cabinet deeply mourns the sudden demise
of Shri Krishan Kant, the Vice-President of India, this morning.
In his passing away, the Nation has lost a great
patriot who made an outstanding contribution to public life. He
imbibed the spirit of patriotism very early in life, having been
imprisoned by the British when he was only 15 for his active participation
in the Quit India Movement. He imparted the same zeal to his many
socio-political activities after Independence.
He advocated progressive and democratic ideals
as a functionary of the Congress and later, the Janata Party.
He was imprisoned for his courageous opposition to the Emergency
Rule in 1975. As a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1966 to 1977,
and of the Lok Sabha till 1980, Shri Krishan Kant spoke with great
conviction on a wide range of issues such as Land Reforms, Workers’
and Women’s Rights, Foreign Policy, Defence, Electoral Reforms
and Press Freedom. He was an ardent champion of civil liberties.
He served with distinction as the Governor of
Andhra Pradesh before being elected as the Vice-President of India
in 1997. His performance as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha will
long be remembered for the sagacity, dignity and sense of purpose
he brought to its proceedings.
He was also an educationist and a man of letters,
with a keen love for Urdu poetry which he had inherited from his
early days.
The Cabinet records its deep appreciation of
the services of Shri Krishan Kant to the Nation and offers its
heartfelt condolences to Shrimati Suman Krishan Kant, herself
a prominent social worker, and other members of the bereaved family".
The Cabinet decided that a three-day State mourning
would be observed. The National Flag at all government buildings
will be fly at half-mast during the period of mourning. The cremation
will ake place at Nigam Bodh Ghat in the afternoon tomorrow. The
Cabinet also decided that all the Central Government offices,
which were to remain open on Saturday, will be closed as a mark
of respect to the departed leader.
