Lucknow: In an emotional letter to her mother, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that he will not be able to attend his father's funeral. The BJP leader said he will not attend the last rites of his father as he needed to be in the state for the fight against COVID-19.
In a statement, the chief minister said, "I had the ardent wish to get a glimpse of him at the final moment. However, following a sense of duty towards the state's 23 crore people during the COVID-19 pandemic, I could not do so."
"For the success of the lockdown and the strategy to defeat the novel coronavirus pandemic, I will be unable to attend the last rites on April 21," Adityanath said
"I am deeply saddened by the demise of my respected father. He instilled in me the values of honesty, hard work and selfless service for public welfare in childhood itself," he said.
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Even as news of his father's demise reached Adityanath continued with a meeting with officials, whom he directed to ensure that the students of Uttar Pradesh who have returned from coaching hub Kota are quarantined at their homes. The Chief Minister also urged that there should be a minimal presence of people at the last rites of his father.
Yogi Adityanath’s father Anand Singh Bisht passed away at AIIMS in the national capital on Monday. Bisht's last rites will take place in Haridwar in Uttarakhand on April 21, Media Advisor to the chief minister Mrityunjay Kumar said.
Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel expressed grief over Bisht’s death.
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Several leaders including Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Kamal Nath have condoled the demise of Adityanth’s father.
