March 03, 2002
‘3’
UNION CABINET CONDOLES THE DEATH OF LS SPEAKER BALAYOGI
A special meeting of the Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was held, here today, to condole the tragic death of Shri G.M.C. Balayogi, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Cabinet observed a two-minute silence in memory of the departed soul and adopted the following resolution:
" The Cabinet, deeply mourns the tragic and untimely death of Shri G.M.C. Balayogi, honourable Speaker of the Lok Sabha, in an air mishap near Kaikalur in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, this morning. The news has shocked the entire nation.
Shri Balayogi, as befits the high office he occupied, was a democrat to the core. He scrupulously upheld the democratic and parliamentary traditions in all circumstances. A soft-spoken man, possessed of an affable personality, he had the uncanny ability to take every section of the House along. He was tactful but always fair and impartial in all his dealings and decisions.
Shri Balayogi was the first Dalit and the youngest among those to be elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Building upon his humble rural background, through determination he studies law and started a successful professional career. To serve the country, and the people he loved, he joined public life. His dedication to the cause of the poor and the downtrodden saw him advance steadily in the political field – from panchayat to the Parliament in a short time.
The Cabinet sends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of Shri Balayogi and prays that the Almighty gives his near and dear ones the courage and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss."