Several leaders cutting across party lines and many other dignitaries paid rich tributes to noted socialist and former lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray on Tuesday.
Ray’s mortal remains were consigned to flames with full State honours at his native village Bhanaragarh in Puri district.
The Government declared State mourning on Tuesday in Ray’s honour. The national flag was lowered at half mast on all Government buildings.
Before Ray’s body was taken to his village, Governor SC Jamir, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi and many others paid floral tributes to him at the lohia Academy here. Patnaik, Kumar and JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav among a host of State Ministers, MlAs and MPs also visited Ray’s native village to attend his funeral.
President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday also condoled Ray’s death.
“Heartfelt condolences on the passing away of veteran Socialist leader & eminent Parliamentarian Shri Rabi Ray. In Shri Ray’s death, the nation has lost a leader who was always in touch with the grassroots of society,” Mukherjee tweeted.
Nitish Kumar said, “I am deeply saddened by Rabi Ray’s demise. He was a Gandhian and a great socialist leader. He was an inspiring personality. I have learnt a lot from him. I worked with him in the Samata Party when he cofounded the party along with George Fernandes. He used to show us path and had a remarkable tenure as the lok Sabha Speaker. His death is a great loss to Indian politics and also a personal loss for me.”
Sharad Yadav too reminisced about his association with the late leader and said that with Ray’s demise he has lost a guide. He also recalled how Ray was elected as the lok Sabha Speaker in 1989 when no party had any clear mandate in the House. Naveen Patnaik said Ray’s death is end of an era in the Indian politics.