Manmohan Singh condoles demise of former Punjab CM Harcharan Brar

New Delhi, Sep 7 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, condoled the demise of former Governor of Haryana and former Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar who died on Sunday after a prolonged illness.

He was 87 In his message, Dr Singh said, "I was deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Sardar Harcharan Singh Brar.

He was a senior figure in the public life of Punjab and was widely respected for his dedicated nationalism and commitment to values."

"He served as Chief Minister of the State with distinction during a difficult period.

He also served as Governor of Orissa and Haryana and will be remembered as a mature political leader who stood for the politics of consensus and conciliation," Dr Singh added.

"May God give his family the strength and fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. I pray for the peace of the departed soul," he said.

Brar, who was a senior Congress leader, is survived by his widow Gurbinder Kaur Brar, a son Kanwarjit Singh Brar, who is an MLA from Muktsar and a daughter Kanwaljit Kaur alias Bubli Brar.

Punjab Government has declared a three-day state mourning while the Haryana Government has declared two day mourning as a mark of respect to Brar.

An agriculturist by profession, Brar was Chief Minister of Punjab from August 1995 till January 1996.

Brar, who remained Governor of Haryana from September 24, 1977 to December 9, 1979 and that of Orissa for around six months in 1976, will be cremated in his native village Sarai Naga today afternoon. (ANI)