Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh was a valuable personality and a capable leader who became a “symbol of faith” for the common people.
PM Modi was speaking to reporters after paying his last respects to the veteran BJP leader at his residence here.
Kalyan Singh died at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) in Lucknow on Saturday night. He was 89.
“The country has lost a valuable personality and a capable leader. To fulfill the void left by him, we should do maximum hard work for his ideals, his promises and leave no effort in achieving his dreams.”
The Prime Minister said Kalyan Singh lived his life for the public welfare.
Kalyan Singh, who served as CM of U.P. twice, was the head of State in 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished by a mob of karsevaks on December 6 following which his government was dismissed.
Mr. Modi said Singh had provided meaning to the the name given to him by his parents, Kalyan, which means welfare in Hindi. “He lived his life for jan kalyan (public welfare),” Mr. Modi told reporters here.
With Kalyan Singh’s death, the country lost a “valuable personality and a capable leader,” Mr. Modi said, adding that Singh would be admired across India.
Singh’s mortals remains were later taken to the U.P. Assembly and the BJP State headquarters for people to pay homage before being taken to his home district Aligarh. He will be cremated on Monday on the Narora ghat on the Ganga.