The former Uttarakhand Samajwadi Party president and Uttarakhand Re-organisation Coordination Committee chairperson Vinod Barthwal passed away at a Gurgaon-based hospital in the wee hours on Tuesday. He was around 60. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat and State BJP chief Ajay Bhatt were among others who condoled his death.
Noteworthy, Barthwal had been appointed the chairperson of the Uttarakhand Re-organisation Coordination Committee by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav last year.
Barthwal, a diabetic, had been suffering from kidney- related problems for some time. The doctors said he had been fast losing weight for the last few months. He was referred to a private hospital in Gurgaon around a week ago by the doctors who treated him at Jollygrant Hospital.
His body was brought at his house at Raipur around noon. Several political leaders aside from the SP activists reached the departed leader’s residence. Among those who went to his residence to mourn the death are former Cabinet Minister and Rudraprayag MlA Harak Singh Rawat, SP state president SN Sachan, UPCC vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana, BJP leader Umesh Aggarwal and Congress leader Ashok Verma. later, his body was brought to Haridwar where the last rites were performed.
Condoling his sudden demise, Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul and former CM Harish Rawat said he was a great leader who had worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people of the State.
Pradesh Congress Ppresident Kishore Upadhyay also mourned his death, saying it was an irreparable loss for not just his family but the whole State. Barthwal was a symbol of communal harmony and the void he has left, can never be filled, the State Congress chief added.
SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav sent a UP cabinet minister Rajendra Choudhary as his representative to participate in the funeral in Haridwar.
A condolence meeting was held at State Congress Committee office in Dehradun where members paid tribute to the departed soul. In DAV (PG) College too, a condolence meeting was held and the students expressed grief over the demise of ex-college students’ union president.
State Employee Joint Council also mourned the death at a meeting called for the purpose. SP sources said that Mulayam Singh Yadav had called up the present State SP chief Sachan to condole the leader’s death.