Former Chhattisgarh Finance Minister late Dr Ramchandra Singhdeo was consigned to the flames near Koriya Palace, district headquarters Baikunthpur on Saturday with state honours.
Niece of late Ramchandra Singhdeo Mrs Ambika Singhdeo lit the pyre and prayed for the soul to rest in peace. large number of town residents, villagers and public representatives were present during the final rites.
A condolence meeting was held in which the speakers recalled Dr Ramchandra Singhdeo as a simpleton, honest, dedicated to the work who lived for the people. His family members Bhupendra Pratap Singh, Sanjay Singh, lal Vijay Pratap Singh, Anant pal Singh Deependra Singh, Mrs Brij Raj Kumari, Ms Jyotsa Kumar, leader of Opposition T. S. Singhdeo, former MP Charan Das Mahant, Anurag Singhdeo, Parliamentary secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh and Bharatpur-Sonhat MlA Champa Devi Pawle, Manendragarh MlA Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, Korba MlA Jaisingh Agrawal, Surajpur MlA Khel Sai Singh, Rampur MlA Shyam lal Kunwar, lundra MlA Chintjamani Maharaj, Municipal Council Baikunthpur Ashok Jaiswal, Shivpur Charcha Ajeet lakra, District and Sessions Judge Vijay Kumar Ekka, Zila Panchayat member Devendra Tiwari, former MlA Deepak Patel, Prem Sai Singh and Bodh Ram Kanwar, Municipal Council Baikuntpur ex-chairman Teerath Gupta and Shailesh Shivhare, Sarguja Commissioner Avinash Champavat, Sarguja IG Himanshu Gupta, Collector Narendra Kumar Dugga, SP Vivek Shukla, Additional collector R A Kuruvanshi among others were present including media personnel.
First Finance minister of Chhattisgarh Dr Ramchandra Singhdeo had passed away on July 20 in a private hospital while undergoing treatment. His mortal remains was then kept for offering condolence at Congress Bhawan on Friday afternoon. The body was then flown to his paternal district Baikunthpur by state plane. His body reached Koriya Palace at around 6.30 pm. People from all walks of life gave final tributes to late leader. His final procession was taken out at around 12.00 pm from the palace on Saturday.
Heavy security arrangements were made during the ceremony and barricades were put to control the rush of people arriving to pay the last tributes.
As per information received, the venue where late Singhdeo was cremated would be developed as a garden in his memory. State government on Friday had taken a decision to give State Honours to late Dr Ramchandra Singhdeo and order was issued by General Administration Department in this regard.