Chandigarh: Two day national mourning over the death of former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will begin on Wednesday. Following the demise of Shiromani Akali Dal patriarch on Tuesday, the Centre announced two days of national mourning. He passed away at an age of 95. According to official sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Chandigarh at 12 noon to pay final homage to Badal today.
The Union Home Ministry in a communication to all the State governments said that that on the days of mourning the national flag will be flown at half mast and there will be no official entertainment.
The Punjab government has announced an official holiday on Thursday and cancelled all government entertainment programs. According to Shiromani Akali Dal leadership Badal's last rites will be performed on Thursday afternoon at his native village Badal in Lambi.
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The Shiromani Akali Dal also in the honor of Badal canceled the two-day election programs of the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election, while the BJP has canceled the programs for one day. Apprehending that there may be heavy traffic on certain roads on Wednesday, the Chandigarh Police has issued an advisory asking commuters to avoid these routes.
Badal, a towering figure in Punjab politics had a formidable electoral record. The five time Chief Minister became an MLA for a whooping 11 times and lost in the Assembly elections only twice. Badal also had a short stint in national politics when he joined the Morarji Desai government as the Union Agriculture Minister.
Condolences poured in following Bada's death on Tuesday. While President Droupadi Murmu hailed him as one of the tallest political stalwarts since independence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a colossal figure of Indian politics.
