The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Kishore Upadhyay has condoled the demise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and the former Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, Raghunandan Singh Tolia on Tuesday. In his condolence message, Upadhyay said that Jayalalithaa has established herself as an icon in the state politics after struggles which led her from acting in the Indian cinema to politics and social sector. Expressing grief at the demise of Uttarakhand’s former chief secretary RS Tolia, the PCC chief said that it was an irreparable loss not just for Tolia’s family but also for the entire state.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Upadhyay stated, “When Jayalalithaa was a member of the Rajya Sabha, I had the opportunity to meet her on many occasions. She had the unique capability to serve the last person eligible, Dalit, the poor and labourers. She gave women a separate identity in Indian politics. Her demise is a loss for the whole society,” added the PCC chief.
Referring to the demise of the former chief secretary of Uttarakhand, Raghunandan Singh Tolia, the Uttarakhand PCC chief said that both during the time of undivided Uttar Pradesh to the times following creation of a separate Uttarakhand, Tolia had served towards facilitating “clean administrative service”, for which he will always be remembered. “After retiring from service, Tolia remained connected with various social organisations and through them, remained active towards the redressal of public issues,” stated Upadhyay. Expressing his grief to the bereaved family, he averred that the “whole Congress family” is with them in this time of sorrow.
A condolence meet was also held at the Congress Bhawan on Tuesday following the demise of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and former Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. Expressing grief at the deaths of Jayalalithaa and Tolia, the Congress party members also observed a two-minute silence in homage to the departed. The Uttarakhand PCC chief spokesman Mathura Datt Joshi, PCC office bearers including its chief programme coordinator Rajendra Shah, general secretary Rajendra Bhandari and other office bearers and workers of the party were among those who attended the condolence meet held at Congress Bhawan.