The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Leaders pay last respects to Bommai

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Friday, Oct 12, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Leaders pay last respects to Bommai

Special Correspondent

Former Chief Minister’s funeral to be held in Hubli today

HOMAGE: Governor Rameshwar Thakur paying his respects to S.R. Bommai in Bangalore on Thursday.

BANGALORE: The body of the former Chief Minister S. R. Bommai, who died in Bangalore on Wednesday night, was taken to Hubli on Thursday. The funeral will be held at his family farm at Amaragol, near Hubli, on Friday.

Earlier, the body of Mr. Bommai had been kept at his R.T. Nagar residence in Bangalore till afternoon. A large number of political leaders and people from various walks of life visited his residence and paid their last respects to the departed leader.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur, the former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda and the former Chief Ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy and S. Bangarappa were among those who paid their last respects.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Mr. Gowda recalled his four-decade-old association with Mr. Bommai. Mr. Kumaraswamy said Mr. Bommai was a like a father figure for him. The hard work done by Bommai in strengthening the Opposition party in the State was an inspiration for young politicians like him.

It was a jog down the memory line for Janata Parivar leaders who visited his residence as they were seen sharing among themselves their experiences from the times that they spent with Mr. Bommai in building the Janata Parivar. MLC and former Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University Chandrashekar Kambar recalled that Mr. Bommai, as Union Human Resource Development Minister, had helped in providing national level exposure to several talented people from Karnataka.

Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj said both himself and Mr. Bommai had entered the Legislative Assembly together.

Several leaders, including the former deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council H. K. Patil, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, N. Dharam Singh and Siddaramaiah, and Janata Parivar leaders B. Somashekhar, M.C. Nanaiah and P.G.R. Sindhia were among those who paid their last respects to the departed leader.

‘A great loss’

Hubli Staff Correspondent reports:

Several eminent people and politicians have mourned the death the former Chief Minister S.R. Bommai and termed it as a great loss to the State and the nation.

Journalist Patil Puttappa has said Mr. Bommai was a distinct politician, whose service to society began before he entered politics through fighting for the poor in the court of law.

Former Ministers Govind Karjol and H.K. Patil, have said that Mr. Bommai was a great statesman, who had contributed a lot to the State through his far-sighted steps.

Former Ministers Basavaraj Horatti, Jagadish Shettar, S.R. Morey, Jabbarkhan Honnalli, A.M. Hindasageri; MPs Pralhad Joshi and Manjunath Kunnur; former MP I.G. Sanadi; MLC Viranna Mattikatti, former MLAs Chandrakant Bellad and Y.S. Patil, former mayor of Hubli-Dharwad Dr Pandurang Patil, nonagenarian vocalist Gangubai Hangal and others have mourned the death of Mr. Bommai.

Silence observed

Bidar Staff Correspondent reports:

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party paid tributes to the former Chief Minister S R Bommai. They observed a minute’s silence in memory of the departed leader.

Mourned

Hassan Staff Correspondent reports:

The Akhila Bharatha Veerasiva Maha Sabha Yuva Vedike Hassan district unit president Sangam through a statement mourned the death and said in his death State had lost a good leader.

The former Minister and BJP leader B.B. Shivappa described Bommai as a statesman who never indulged in petty politics.

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