Assembly pays tributes to Chandra Shekhar

Bhopal, July 18 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly today paid glowing tributes to former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and adjourned for the day after observing two minutes silence as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

Immediately after the House assembled for the 17-day monsoon session, Speaker Ishwardas Rohani read out the obituary reference and mourhed the death of Chandra Shekhar and 10 others, who died during the inter-session period.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Leader of the Opposition Jamuna Devi and floor leaders of different parties also joined the Speaker in paying tributes to the former Prime Minister and others.

They described Chandra Shekhar as a good administrator, excellent parliamentarian, true democrat and socialist to the core and said his death caused a void in the people's life. ''He held moral values in a high pedestal,'' Mr Chouhan said.

State Minister Prakash Sonkar and BJP leader Dilip Bhatere, both sitting members who died recently, were also paid tributes.

The Assembly also mourned the death of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, former Union Minister Chandrajit Yadav, former Deputy Speaker Narbada Prasad Shrivastava and former members Khalak Singh Nandvanshi, Anandilal, Hiralal Silawat, Diwan Chandrabhan Singh and Hiraram Verma.

Besides Mr Chouhan and Ms Jamuna Devi, Mr Vanshmani Prasad Verma (SP), Mr Manmohan Shah Batti(GGP), Ms Saroj Bachhan Nayak (JD-U), Mr Harivallabh Shukla (Rashtriya Samanata Dal), Mr Hamid Kazi(NCP), Mr Lakhan Singh Baghel(BSP), Mr Ramlakhan Sharma (CPI-M) and BJP member K D Deshmukh also paid tributes to the departed leaders.

After observing two minutes silence, the Speaker adjourned the sitting for the day as a mark of respect to the departed leaders.

The house will reassemble on July 23, he said.

Mr Virendra Raghuvanshi (Congress), who was elected in a byelection from Shivpuri, was administered the oath as a member.

The legislators will cast their votes for the presidential election tomorrow at the Vidhan Sabha Bhavan. The session is scheduled to conclude on August 3.

UNI