ATAL CREMATED, THOUSANDS BID FAREWELL
New Delhi, Aug 17: The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were cremated at Smrithi Sthal near Rajghat where the last rites took place. Vajpayee, who passed away yesterday, was cremated with full state honors. The chiefs of the Army, Air Force and the Navy paid tribute to the BJP stalwart, one of India’s tallest leaders.
There was massive deployment of police and paramilitary personnel along the entire procession route. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid a wreath and paid his last respects to former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Air Force chief BS Dhanoa, Navy chief Sunil Lamba and Army chief Bipin Rawat paid their respects to the mortal remains of Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Smriti Sthal.
The massive procession accompanying Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s mortal remains reached the Smriti Sthal, where the former Prime Minister was cremated. A host of senior BJP leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are walked with the remains along with lakhs of mourners.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived at Smriti Sthal to pay their last respects and were in the front row of attendees who had come to attend the state funeral of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and pay their final respects.
In a rare gesture by a foreign missions in India, the Flag was seen flying at half-mast at the US Embassy and the British High Commission in New Delhi as mark of respect to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away in New Delhi on August 16 at the age of 93.
The American people mourn with the people of India on the passing of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/ciAqJlpBkn
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) August 17, 2018
Union Flag flies half-mast at the British High Commission in New Delhi as mark of respect to Shri #AtalBehariVajpayee. UK stands with people of India. #AtalJiAmarRahen pic.twitter.com/F3k0xyaSGI
— UK in India???? (@UKinIndia) August 17, 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, and other government officials and politicians, joined the funeral cortege of former PM Vajpayee, as it made its way to Smriti Sthal for the last rites and subsequent state funeral. They were joined by tens of thousands of ordinary citizens, all seeking to pay their final respects to the statesman.
