Morarji Cabinet against state funeral for Jayprakash - Sinha

Bhubaneswar, Oct 12 (UNI) In a startling revelation, Jammu Kashmir Governor S K Sinha has said the Morarji Desai Cabinet had decided not to accord state funeral to Jayprakash Narayan.

Mr Sinha, who was here to attend the 104th birth anniversary of the great socialist leader, yesterday said when the death of Jayprakash Narayan flashed, the then Defence Secretary rang him up to say the Cabinet had decided not to accord state funeral to Jayprakash.

The Jammu Kashmir Governor said being the Adjutant General he was preparing the movement of Gun Carriage from Ranchi to Patna and the movement of an Airforce plane when he was told by the Defence Secretary that since Jayprakash was not holding any official post, he would be not given state funeral.

Mr Sinha said he reminded the Defence Secretary that when Mahatma Gandhi died in 1948, he was not holding any post yet he was given the state funeral and pleaded that why the same formula should not be applied for Jayrakashji.

It was Acharya Kripalini and Jayprakash, who had recommended the name of Morarji Desai as the Prime Minister during the Janata regime from among three names put before them for the post, he remarked.

Mr Sinha further said Jayprakash was fortunate that the death news turned out to be a rumour and six months later when he died he was given state honour during the tenure of Choudhary Charan Singh as Prime Minister.

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