PM leads mourners to bid Kalam last adieu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying last respects to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, whose mortal remains were laid to rest with full military honours at a special graveyard in Rameswaram on Thursday.Thousands of people from various walks of life, including students, cried Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Abdul Kalam Amar Rahein as the body of the former President was lowered into the grave after a tri-services guard of honour and the customary prayers at Pei Karumbu along the Madurai Highway.

It took the special Army vehicle carrying Kalam’s body almost an hour to reach the Pei Karumbu graveyard, which is hardly five km from ancestral house of the former President. After a guard of honour by officers drawn out from the three services, the national tri-colour draped around the body of the former Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces was removed. The Prime Minister saluted the mortal remains, walked towards the enclosure where 99-year-old APJ Maraikkar, elder brother of Kalam was sitting, and touched his feet as a mark of respect.

Governor of Tamil Nadu K Roseaiah, Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, Manohar Parrikar and Pon Radhakrishnan and Ministers of Tamil Nadu offered floral tributes. Chief Ministers of Kerla, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Kerala Governor P Sathasivam, 

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad represented the Congress party in paying homage to Kalam.

Anbumani Ramadoss, Vijayakanth and GK Vasan of PMK, DMDK and TMC respectively paid floral tributes to the departed soul. leaders of the DMK were conspicuous by their absence during the funeral. Expelled DMK leader and former Union Minister MK Alagiri has demanded that the Union Government should set up a world-class science university at Rameswaram as a mark of respect to the former President.

As the chief priest of Rameswaram mosque recited verses from the Quran, the mortal remains were lowered into the grave by the family members of Kalam. When the priest said, “Oh man, you were created out of the soil and you are returning back to the soil,” the relatives recited the Takbir “Allahu Akbar” and put down soil into the grave. The Army band sounded the last post and Rameswaram island was echoed with the 21-gun salute by the armed forces.

The entire Muslim community at Rameswaram was moved by the magnitude of the honours bestowed on APJ Abdul Kalam. “We have never seen such a crowd or so many VIPs making it to Ramanathapuram district at any point of time. The respect given by the Central Government to Dr Kalam has really touched our hearts,” Mohammed Hadil, one of the leaders of Rameswaram Jamaath told The Pioneer. 

He said Kalam deserved this honours as God had blessed him with lot of intelligence and love for humanity. “We are sad that Dr Kalam is no more. He was the one and only Indian who dreamt of a developed India by 2020,” said Hadil.The local arrangements for the funeral ceremony were worked out by Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan and senior BJP leader D Kuppuramu in consultation with the Rameswaram Jamaath chief and the family members of Kalam. “It was a touching tribute by the Government of India to the son of this soil. We never expected a turnout like this for the last journey,” said Hadil, who also pointed out the unique slogans raised by the people who lined up the route to the graveyard. “What we heard today were only Bharat Matha Ki Jai and Abdul Kalam Amar Rahe. It took more than decades for the local community to raise such slogans. Yes, Dr Kalam has made us change our outlook,” said Hadil.