Thousands of people bade a tearful adieu to Maharashtra’s former Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader R R Patil at his home village Anjani in Tasgaon Taluka of Sangli District in western Maharashtra on Tuesday, a day after he died of multi-organ failure and oral cancer. Fifty-seven-year-old Abba, as Patil was popularly known in the State political circles, was cremated with State honours at the helipad grounds at Anjani Village, in the presence of prominent personalities, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and noted social activist Anna Hazare.
As the slogans like ‘R R Patil Amar Rahe’, ‘Abha Amar Rahe’ rent the ear, Patil’s son Rohit, accompanied by Patil’s two daughters Smita and Supriya, lit his funeral pyre. Scores of mourners, who had turned up to pay their last respects to the departed NCP leader, broke down at the funeral, as Patil’s mortal remains were consigned to flames.
Earlier in the morning, the body of Patil was taken from Mumbai to Tasagaon. His wife Suman and mother Bhagirathi accompanied the body. After Patil’s body arrived at Tasgaon from Mumbai, it was taken from there in an open flower-bedecked truck that carried a banner “our man” to Anjani Village. Thousands of people walked all the way from Tasagon to Anjani Village.
While Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule was seen escorting Patil’s daughters near the funeral venue, while Pawar’s nephew and former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, senior NCP leaders Jayant Pail and Dilip Walse-Patil supervised the funeral arrangements.