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| Leaders condole Chandra Shekhar's death | | |
NEW DELHI, JULY 8
Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a host of other leaders today expressed grief at the death of former premier Chandra Shekhar whom they hailed as a truly secular nationalist.
The leaders, including former Prime Minister I K Gujral, former President R Venkataraman, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said that in the death of the 'Young Turk', an era of struggle in Indian politics has come to an end.
Shekhawat, a close friend of the late leader, said in the death of Shekhar, a strong votery of secularism and a fearless guard of democratic values has gone and the poor have lost their messiah.
Prime Minister Singh, who had worked under Shekhar when he was at the helm of affairs, said the country has lost a distinguished son and a great patriot.
"Chandra Shekharji was a truly secular nationalist, a man of the people, committed to their welfare and well being. He belonged to a generation that felt deeply about the importance of ideals and idealism in politics," Singh said in a message.
Vajpayee, who also had warm ties with Shekhar for decades, said the former Prime Minister was not a mere fighter but a skillful, talented and a fearless leader.
"He was a friend of friends who lived in politics on his own terms. He had the natural tendency to raise his voice against injustice," the NDA chairman said, adding he had lost a good friend.
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