Orissa Assembly mourns demise of Chandra Shekhar

Bhubaneswar, July 9 (UNI) The Orissa Assembly was adjourned for the day today without transacting any business as a mark of respect to the departed soul of former prime minister Chandra Shekhar.

As the House assembled for the day, the Chief Minister moved an obituary reference and condoled the demise of the former prime minister.

Mr Naveen Patnaik described Mr Chandra Shekhar as a great social leader, who had undertaken a 4620 km long padayatra from Kanyakumari to Rajghat to establish rapport with the nation's masses.

He said the void created by his death could not be filled and it will be an irreparable loss to the country.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly J B Patnaik also condoled the demise of the former prime minister and said the country had lost a very strong personality who was very secular and had never compromised with his conscience.

BJP legislature Party leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan also joined the obituary motion and said as an ''Young Turk'' in the Congress, Mr Chandra Shekhar was anindependent-thinker, who always believed in democratic values and parliamentary democracy.

Speaker Maheswar Mohanty also expressed profound grief and said, ''He would remain in the hearts of the people for his distinguished personality and also as a successful prime minister.'' The house observed two minutes' silence after the obituary motion was adopted and the Speaker adjourned the House for the day as a mark of respect.

The Orissa government announced the closure of all government offices, educational and other establishments all over the state and decided to observe state mourning for a period of seven days till July 14 to pay respect to the departed soul.

UNI