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Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ashes to be immersed in Haridwar today: BJP

Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday at the age of 93. He was cremated with full State honours at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi on Friday.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ashes to be immersed in Haridwar today: BJP

In this file photo taken on November 16, 1989, BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee was taking part in campaigning for the party in New Delhi. (Photo: AFP)

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ashes will be immersed in various rivers across the country, starting with the Ganga at Haridwar today, the BJP said.

The immersion ceremony at the holy city will be attended by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his Uttarakhand counterpart Trivendra Singh Rawat among others on Sunday, BJP leader Bhupender Yadav told reporters. The ritual is slated to take place at the Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar.

BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on Thursday at the age of 93. He was cremated with full State honours at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in the national capital on Friday.

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Mr Yadav said an all-party prayer meeting for the BJP stalwart will be held in New Delhi on August 20 and another such meeting will be organised in Lucknow on August 23 since Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s appeal cut across political divide.

Apart from the home minister and Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s relatives will attend the Lucknow prayer meeting, he said, adding that the former prime minister’s ashes will also be immersed in the Gomati river there.

The prayer meeting in Delhi will be attended by leaders from different political parties and noted citizens, Mr Yadav said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat reviewed a meeting with Haridwar district authorities and saints regarding the ashes immersion ritual of Vajpayee.

The meeting took place at the Shanti Kunj, in which Chief Minister Trivendra Rawat, cabinet minister Madan Kausik, Uttarakhand BJP president Ajay Bhatt, Haridwar District Magistrate Deepak Rawat and other attended.

According to the official programme, the pitcher containing the ashes and family members of ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will arrive by air at Jolly Grant airport on Sunday morning. The pitcher will be kept for public viewing at Shanti Kunj for a brief period and after that it will be taken by road on an open vehicle to Har Ki Pauri.

The ashes immersion ritual will start at about 1.30 pm. The security of Har Ki Pauri has been beefed up due to the VVIP movement.

 

(With agency inputs)

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