Sushma Swaraj funeral; LATEST updates: Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has been cremated with State honours at Lodhi Crematorium in Delhi. Top dignitaries and others who came to the crematorium to pay their respects are now vacating the premises.

Sushma Swaraj’s mortal remains have been brought to the Lodhi crematorium in Delhi from the BJP headquarters. Her daughter Bansuri performed the last rites.

Senior BJP leader LK Advani and his daughter Pratibha had an emotional moment when they reached at Sushma Swaraj’s residence to pay her their last respects, Advani was seen consoling Swaraj Kaushal, Sushma’s husband.

Rajya Sabha condoled the death of former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj. Remembering her, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that her demise was a personal loss to him and that she used to tie him rakhi. He said, “Destiny has snatched away reassuring, contagious smile from our midst.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached at Sushma Swaraj’s residence, where her body has been kept. Rahul paid his respects to the departed leader. Yesterday, Rahul had expressed shock at her sudden demise.

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee remembered Sushma Swaraj and said, “Deeply saddened, shocked at the sudden passing away of Sushma Swaraj Ji.I knew her since the 1990s. Even though our ideologies differed, we shared many cordial times in Parliament. An outstanding politician, leader, good human being.Will miss her.Condolences to her family/admirers.”

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav was seen weeping when he went to pay his last respects to the veteran BJP leader. Apart from the SP leader, prominent ministers and leaders across all parties, including senior BJP leaders like LK Advani, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, chief minister BS Yediyurappa, and others paid their respects to the beloved leader.

BJP national working president JP Nadda also paid his respects. Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav also reached Swaraj residence to pay his respects. Swaraj’s body will be kept at the BJP HQ for thee hours before her cremation at 3 pm today.

An emotional prime minister paid his last respects to the former Union minister. Solemn-looking Narendra Modi reached Sushma Swaraj’s Delhi residence and met the grieving family. In a series of tweets, Modi hailed Swaraj as an “uncompromising leader” when it came to matters of ideology.

“A glorious chapter in Indian politics comes to an end. India grieves the demise of a remarkable leader who devoted her life to public service and bettering lives of the poor. Sushma Swaraj ji was one of her kind, who was a source of inspiration for crores of people,” Modi said in a series of tweets. He hailed her as a “prolific orator and outstanding parliamentarian” and said she was admired and revered across party lines.

Veteran BJP leader LK Advani, who handpicked Sushma Swaraj and played a major role in guiding and mentoring her, wrote a long condolence letter in her memory. “I am deeply distressed at the untimely demise of one of my closest colleague, Sushma Swaraj ji. Sushmaji was someone who I have known and worked with since the beginning of her illustrious innings in the Bharatiya Janata Party. When I was the President of the BJP in the eighties, she was a promising young activist who I had inducted into my team. And over the years, she became one of the most popular and prominent leaders of our party — in fact, a role model for women leaders. A brilliant orator, I was often amazed at her ability to recall incidents, events and present them with utmost clarity and eloquence. Sushmaji was also a fine human being. She touched everyone with her warmth and compassionate nature. I do not recall a single year when she missed bringing my favourite chocolate cake on my birthday. The nation has lost a remarkable leader. To me, it is an irreparable loss and I will miss Sushmaji’s presence immensely. May her soul rest in peace. My heartfelt condolences to Swaraj ji, Bansuri and all members of her family. Om Shanti.”

The Delhi government will observe two-day State mourning as a mark of respect in memory of former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was quoted as saying.

The body of former Union minister Sushma Swaraj will be kept for three hours at the BJP headquarters on Wednesday for people to pay tributes, BJP working president J P Nadda said. Swaraj died late Tuesday night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after suffering a cardiac attack, doctors said. She was 67.

The mortal remains of Sushma Swaraj were being taken from AIIMS to her residence in Delhi, where they will be kept overnight. The body will be taken to the BJP headquarters at 12 pm on Wednesday for the party workers and leaders to pay their tributes. The last rites will be held after 3 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted saying that a ‘glorious chapter in Indian politics’ had come to an end with the demise of Sushma Swaraj.

BJP leader and former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday after she was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi on suffering a heart attack.

Her condition was said to be critical at the time of admission. Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari reached the hospital late on Tuesday.

Swaraj had in 2018 announced her decision to opt out from contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election due to health reasons. She was serving her fourth term in the House at the time of the announcement.

Swaraj began her political career with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in the 1970s and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Emergency in 1977. That year, at the age of 25, she joined the Haryana government as education minister, thus, becoming the country’s youngest Cabinet minister.

Swaraj was also Delhi’s first female chief minister, holding that post from 13 October, 1998, to 3 December, 1998. In 2007, she notched yet another achievement, becoming the first woman to be given the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award. Incidentally, she received the award from Pratibha Patil, India’s first female president.

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