Final journey of the legend: Nation pays glowing tributes to Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

The final journey of the legend, former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee has begun. His mortal remains are being taken to the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, the memorial site

The final journey of the legend, former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee has begun.

His mortal remains are being taken to the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, the memorial site located between Shanti Van and Vijay Ghat where Vajpayee will be cremated with full state honors.

#Delhi | People gather in large numbers during the funeral procession of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee to Smriti Sthal.

Credit: ANI pic.twitter.com/Kqv6CpXEct

— Northeast Live (@NELiveTV) August 17, 2018

The mortal remains of former PM #AtalBihariVajpayee being taken to Smriti Sthal for funeral. PM Modi, Amit Shah along with other officials take part in the procession.

Credit: ANI pic.twitter.com/jXxlojHQ5n

— Northeast Live (@NELiveTV) August 17, 2018

Meanwhile, rich tributes were paid to Vajpayee all day long with his mortal remains being kept at the BJP headquarters.

In fact Prime Minister Narendra himself along with BJP president Amit Shah and Home Minister Rajnath Singh received the mortal remains at BJP Headquarters this morning.

Meanwhile, host of leaders including those from the Northeast paid rich tributes to Vajpayee.

Significantly, a Pakistan delegation headed by the law and information minister Syed Zafar Ali Shah is also in Delhi to attend Vajpayee’s cremation.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan foreign ministry put out a statement expressing its condolences at Vajpayee’s demise, describing him as a statesman who contributed to bringing change in India-Pakistan relations.

Apart from the delegation from Pakistan, Bhutanese king Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk is in Delhi to attend the last rites of Bharat Ratna and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Foreign ministers of Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also attending the funeral.

Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui too condoled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s demise saying his contribution to India-China relations will never be forgotten.

Condoling the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Ambassador of Russia to India Nikolay Kudashev remembered Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a great statesman.

Japanese envoy to India Kenji Hiramatsu hailed Vajpayee as one of the most inspiring world leaders. The envoy said the upswing in India-Japan relations was only possible by the initiatives started by the former Indian prime minister.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster also joined in expressing grief over the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Vajpayee was also widely loved and respected in the Northeast. And besides glowing tributes from state leaders, the NSCN-IM too mourned Vajpayee’s demise.

In a condolence message, the outfit said Vajpayee was a great leader who could understand the Nagas and committed to finding an honourable settlement of Naga problem.

It was during his leadership, the unique history and situation of the Nagas was officially recognized by the Government of India on July 11, 2002.

The Prime Minister will be cremated at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, a memorial site. Vajpayee’s last journey began from the BJP headquarters at around 2 pm and the funeral procession is now marching to the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal.

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