Amidst chanting of Vedic hymns, the mortal remains of former prime minister Chandra Shekhar were on Monday consigned to flames with full state honours on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi.
The last rites of the former premier were performed on Monday evening by his sons Pankaj and Neeraj at Ekta Sthal as per Vedic rituals in the presence of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, besides other leaders.
A wreath on behalf of President A P J Abdul Kalam was placed on the body of the late prime minister who passed away on Sunday at the age of 80 after a long battle against blood cancer.
Leaders from across the political spectrum paid floral tributes to Shekhar.
A 21-gun salute was presented to Shekhar as his sons lit the pyre and a tri-services contingent presented the 'Last Post', reversing their guns upside down as a mark of respect to the leader.
Earlier, the body of the veteran socialist leader, wrapped in the national tri-colour, was brought to Ekta Sthal in a flower bedecked gun-carriage in a procession.
The cremation was also attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Leader of Opposition Lal Kishenchand Advani and the chiefs of the army, navy and air force.
Former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, Cabinet ministers and leaders of various political parties paid tributes to the departed leader, who was prime minister for seven months -- from November 10, 1990 to March 6, 1991.
The funeral was attended by the former prime minister's entire family, including his grandson Shashank Singh, his two surviving brothers Badri Singh and Kripa Singh and their six children.
A large number of supporters of the late leader also attended the procession and shouted slogans like 'Chandra Shekhar Amar Rahen'.
The procession carrying the body, wrapped in the national tricolour, from his official residence 3, South
Avenue, passed through Maulana Azad Road, Akbar Road, India Gate and Delhi Gate before reaching the Rajghat samadhi area.
The government has declared a seven-day state mourning as a mark of respect for the Samajwadi Janata Party leader and the national flag will fly at half mast during the mourning period.
The body had earlier been kept at the late leader's official residence for people to pay their last respects to him.
Among others who attended the funeral were former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar [Images] and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
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