Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying his last respects to the mortal remains of former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Ashok Singhal at the RSS office Keshav Kunj at Jhandewalan in New Delhi on Wednesday, November 18, 2015. (PTI photo)
The mortal remains of VHP leader Ashok Singhal were consigned to flames at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi today amid chanting of vedic hymns in the presence of scores of BJP and VHP leaders.
The pyre was lit by Mr Singhal's nephew Salil, son of his elder brother Parmod in the presence of family members, VHP and BJP leaders including LK Advani and Amit Shah and several Union ministers including Piyush Goyal, Ravishankar Prasad, JP Nadda and Harsh Vardhan.
Among others present at the cremation were Union Ministers Uma Bharti and Ananth Kumar, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Gujarat Governor OP Kohli and BJP leader from Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and a number of Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Radha Mohan Singh, Uma Bharti, Manohar Parrikar and Smriti Irani paid their last respects to Mr Singhal at the RSS office at Jhandewalan here.
Mr Modi placed a wreath on Mr Singhal's body and wrote a condolence message.
89-year-old Mr Singhal died yesterday following cardio-vascular failure and septicaemia after he was admitted to a hospital in Gurgaon with complaints of acute breathlessness and pneumonia.
"His aim was to build a good society, eliminate wrong traditions and the purity in his work will be followed by RSS and BJP," said Coal Minister Piyush Goyal.
VHP's International working president Pravin Togadia said Mr Singhal, who had played a leading role in the Ram Janambhoomi movement, departed without seeing the Ram temple in his lifetime.
RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi said that Mr Singhal had guided and paved the way for Hindu society.
BJP president Amit shah said that Mr Singhal's commitment and sacrifice for Hindu society will always be remembered.