Ex-Dy CM Mangat Ram dies

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, November 3

Former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma died here today after a prolonged illness. He will be cremated at Shastri Nagar cremation ground tomorrow.

“Sharma was not keeping well for the past some time and breathed his last at his residence this morning,” said Ravinder Sharma, chief Congress spokesperson.

The six-time legislator had served as Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. He had served as Deputy Chief Minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led PDP-Congress government.

He had served as Health Minister in 2006 when Ghulam Nabi Azad took charge as Chief Minister. He had held important positions in the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC).

Governor NN Vohra expressed grief over the demise of Mangat Ram. In his message, the Governor prayed for peace to the departed soul and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also condoled the demise of Mangat Ram. Paying tributes to the veteran leader, she hailed his contribution in different capacities during his public life.

She said Pandit Mangat Ram had great concernfor the poor and downtrodden irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion or region.

She visited the residence of Mangat Ram this afternoon to offer condolences to the bereaved family. She prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad visited his residence and expressed condolences to the family.

The JKPCC deeply condoled the demise of Mangat Ram. JKPCC president Ghulam Ahmed Mir expressed deep shock over the demise.

He described Mangat Ram as a great leader who was liked by one and all. He expressed deep sympathies with the bereaved family.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, working president Omar Abdullah and provincial president Devender Singh Rana expressed grief over the death.

They conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul. Party leaders Surjeet Singh Slathia, Rattan Lal Gupta, Kashmira Singh and Rachpal Singh expressed grief.

Hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani expressed sorrow and shock over the death. He said he had brotherly relations with Mangat Ram.

In a statement, Geelani said Mangat Ram often used to say the “Kashmir issue will live till Geelani is alive”. He said Mangat Ram had supported the stand on ban on liquor and other social issues.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, he said he had lost a good friend and critic whom he would remember for a long time.

Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra, former MPs Dharam Pal Sharma and Madan Lal Sharma and former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand remembered association with and contribution of Mangat Ram.

Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Mula Ram, GM Saroori, GN Monga, Kanta Bhan, Haji Rashid, Ravinder Sharma, KK Amla, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Manohar Lal Sharma, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Manmohan Singh and Indu Pawar condoled the death.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Pranav Shagotra described Mangat Ram as a great leader who was liked by one and all because of his humility and leadership.