Congress MP Santokh Chaudhary cremated with full state honours

Ludhiana/Jalandhar

Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who died following a cardiac arrest during the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Saturday in Phillaur, was cremated at his native Dhaliwal Qadian village in Jalandhar district on Sunday with full state honours.

The yatra was suspended following his death. Chaudhary had fainted while participating in the march on Saturday. He was rushed to a private hospital in Phagwara where he was declared brought dead.

Chaudhary’s son and Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh lit the pyre and performed the last rites. The body was taken in a procession in a bedecked vehicle, from his residence in Vijay Nagar to the cremation ground.

As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached the cremation ground, a huge crowd gathered to catch his glimpse of Gandhi while security personnel tried best to keep crowds at bay.

Jalandhar deputy commissioner Jaspreet Singh laid the wreath on behalf of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and the district administration. MLAs Sheetal Angural, Raman Arora, Balkar Singh, besides senior leaders of the Congress, including leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, state party chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, MPs Mohammad Sadique, Ravneet Bittu and Gurjeet Singh Aujla were present among others. BJP leader and National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairman Vijay Sampla also attended the cremation.

Yatra resumes, Moose Wala’s father walks alongside Rahul

The Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed on a sober note on Sunday afternoon, more than 30 hours after it was suspended owing to the death Chaudhary. Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadera joined the yatra from Jalandhar.

Seen with Gandhi during the yatra was slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s father Balkaur Singh who walked with him for a few kilometres.

Later Gandhi posted pictures of the walk with Balkaur Singh on social media and wrote: “I saw a sense of pride and undying love in the eyes of a father for his son Sidhu Moose Wala. I salute the father.”

The yatra began from Lyallpur Khalsa College in Jalandhar and was minus the vibrancy. Prior to starting the yatra, Gandhi paid obeisance at the historic Devi Talab Mandir in Jalandhar.

There was no beating of dhols or dance performances as a mark of respect to the deceased MP. The plan of Jalandhar Cantt MLA Pargat Singh to hold a 20-minute hockey match with him and other Olympians at Lyallpur Khalsa College was cancelled.

Sunday’s leg of the yatra culminated at Hemkund Public School on Pathankot Road, Jalandhar, in evening. After a night halt at Avtar Regency, Beas Pind, Adampur, the yatra will begin on Monday.