Final adieu to Sushma Swaraj

The former external affairs minister and a leader of the masses Sushma Swaraj was finally given the last adieu by thousands of her followers at Lodhi Road electric crematorium on 7th August afternoon amidst chanting of slogans” Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahega Sushma Tera Naam Rahega” and “Sushma Swaraj Amar Rahe”, etc

Hundreds of her die-hard followers had reached the BJP headquarter at New Delhi’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg from all over the country, especially women and youth who later joined her at the Lodhi Road crematorium walking alongside the ambulance donning her large photograph on the front, raising slogans hailing their leader, whom they respected, loved and adored immensely. Her followers were literally in tears as if they have lost their closest relative or a mother.

Late Sushma Swaraj’s body was consigned to flames at the Electric crematorium after chanting of spiritual hymns with full state honours. Prior to the performance of the last rites, her body was placed at the BJP headquarter at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg brought on an ambulance from her Jantar Mantar house with hundreds of followers and Delhi state BJP leaders following on foot and their respective vehicles all the way several kilometers under the scorching sun and sweltering heat. Tall leaders of all the political parties paid their last respects to this iconic woman leader and former union minister late Sushma Swaraj. This included president Ram Nath Kovind, prime minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Amit Shah, all union ministers, Congress leader and UPA advisory council chairperson Sonia Gandhi, BJP veterans and former deputy PM L. K. Advani, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Vice President Venkaiyya Naidu, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Aditya Nath, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, former MP and actress Jaya Prada, MP Hema Malini and myriad leaders from BJP, Congress and opposition parties across party and ideological lines.

The prime minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Amit Shah, Lal Krishna Advani, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi and all the cabinet ministers, MPs of NDA and hundreds of party cadres were present at the crematorium at Lodhi road to pay their final adieu to this great leader and former union external affairs minister. The prime minister Narendra Modi who was emotionally shaken on Sushmaji’s passing away has said that it’s the end of a glorious chapter in Indian politics.

It’s indeed a huge loss for the country and the vacuum left by her passing away is difficult to be filled said the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Before consigning her body to flames the late leader’s only daughter, her husband Swaraj Kaushal and several others saluted her thus giving this great leader the final adieu who’s left one and all in the state of utter shock, grief, and dismay.

A nine-time MP, several times union minister, first woman CM of Delhi in 1998, a troubleshooter of BJP and a true mass leader, always at the service of the distressed and needy, Sushma Swaraj was credited for being the first youngest cabinet minister of Haryana at the age of merely 25. Having a chequered political career of more than four and a half decades Sushma Swaraj was an outstanding orator, eminent parliamentarian and an able administrator apart from being a true mass leader carrying an iconic reputation of a national leader.

Her passing away at just the age of 67 is not only a national loss but truly an end of an era.