LS adjourned till Monday after paying tributes to Chandrashekhar

New Delhi, Aug 10 (UNI) The Lok Sabha, on the opening day of its monsoon session today, was adjourned till Monday after paying homage to former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar and others.

The House observed a two-minute silence after Speaker Somnath Chatterjee read out tributes to the socialist stalwart, who died last month after a long illness.

The House also paid homage to sitting member Ajit Kumar Singh, who died during the intersession recess. Five former members, who also died during the recess and were paid homage by the House were -- Krishan Chander Haldhar (7th Lok Sabha), Chanderjit Yadav (10th LS), T Nagarattnam (11th LS), Sahib Singh Verma (13th LS) and Bharat Singh Chauhan (6th LS).

Before paying tributes to the departed members, the Speaker sworn in Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal as a member the 14th Lok Sabha. He was elected in a by-election to the Hamirpur constituency in Himachal Pradesh on a BJP ticket.

Describing Chandrashekhar a secular nationalist, the Speaker said in his demise the nation had lost an eminent parliamentarian, an able administrator and a statesman. Also popularly known as the ' Young Turk', Chandrashekhar was also hailed as an icon for the youth by the Speaker, who also took notice of his Bharat Yatra from Kanniyakumari to Rajghat.

Mr Chatterjee also hailed him as a man of strong principles.

UNI