E-Paper
BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma cremated with state honours
Sharma’s mortal remains were brought to his native village Jalpehar in Mandi early on Thursday morning where hundreds of people turned up to pay tributes to their leader
BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma, who was found hanging from the ceiling in his official residence in New Delhi, was cremated with full state honours at Machhial village in Mandi district on Thursday.
His son Shanti Swaroop Sharma lit the pyre.
Sharma’s body was brought to his native village Jalpehar early morning where hundreds of people turned up to pay tributes to their leader. It was then taken to the Machhial crematorium where chief minister Jai Ram Thakur along with his cabinet colleagues and leaders of both BJP and Congress paid floral tributes to him by laying wreaths.
Among others who attended the funeral included former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Jal Shakti minister Mahender Singh Thakur, social justice and empowerment minister Sarveen Chaudhary, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Rajinder Garg, MP and BJP state president Suresh Kashyap, MP Kishan Kapoor, MLA Vinod Kumar, Hira Lal, Jawahar Thakur, Prakash Rana and vice-chairman of state finance commission Satpal Singh Satti.
Jai Ram meets bereaved family
CM Thakur also visited Sharma’s native village to express his condolences with his family members. He prayed to the almighty to give peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family members to bear this irreparable loss.
Thakur said Sharma’s untimely death was not only a big loss to Mandi parliamentary constituency but also to the state and the BJP.
“He would always be remembered for his humility, simplicity and dedication,” said Thakur.
He said Delhi police was investigating into his death and if the family members wished so, the state government would request a probe by an investigative agency.
JP Nadda pays tributes
Earlier on Wednesday evening, national BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda had paid tributes to the late MP during a wreath-laying ceremony at Himachal Sadan in New Delhi.
Nadda also met Sharma’s family members and expressed his sympathy with them.
Cong demands CBI probe into MP’s death
The Himachal Congress has demanded a CBI probe into the death of the Mandi MP.
Party president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said, “The CM and BJP’s veteran leader Shanta Kumar have stated that when they spoke to Sharma a few days ago he appeared to be fine, then what went wrong all of a sudden that he was forced to end his life? This is a serious matter,” he said.
“There should be a thorough probe to ascertain the veracity of the facts that forced him to take the drastic step,” he said.
