ITANAGAR, Aug 24 - The ashes of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were today immersed at the holy Parashuram Kund in the Lohit river under Lohit district in the presence of State BJP president Tapir Gao, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and other dignitaries.
�A great honour was bestowed on Arunachal Pradesh and Lohit district in particular when the asthi visarjan of late Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee Atal Bihari Vajpayee was done at Parashuram Kund,� stated a release from the district administration.
A special chopper from Itanagar carried the urn containing the ashes of the former Prime Minister, which was accorded full honour by all dignitaries and public present. Parashuram Mandir � the venue of the shraddhanjali ceremony � also reverberated with the recitation of Vajpayee�s poems.
Special prayers were conducted by priests and monks of Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh religions. Speaking on the occasion, Tapir Gao said that Vajpayee was a true statesman who led by example and made public work his foremost priority. He was a man who lived by his ideals, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein elucidated on the visionary ideas of the leader who cleared many development projects and specially focused on far-flung areas. �The good roads, connectivity and development we are having today under the PMGSY scheme is one such example of his dedicated zeal,� Mein said.
Later, Vajpayee�s ashes were immersed in the swirling waters of the Lohit river with a special prayer for the eternal peace of the departed soul. The visarjan was also attended by minister Dr Mohesh Chai, Namsai MLA Zingnu Namchoom, Lohit DC Karma Leki, Namsai DC RK Sharma and others.
Earlier, Vajpayee�s asthi kalash (urn containing the ashes) was brought to Pasighat for an hour en route to Parashuram Kund, enabling the people of East Siang district headquarters to pay homage to the former Prime Minister at the Pasighat Airport premises.
Among others, East Siang DC Tamiyo Tatak, SP Prashant Gautam, BJP pravari and Kishan Morcha State president Dunggoli Libang, district BJP president Tamat Jonnom, party workers, officers and people from different walks of life paid floral tribute on the portrait of Vajpayee and the urn carrying his ashes, and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul. A two-minute was also observed as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
