Karnal remembers ‘bua’ who performed ‘milni’

Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, August 7

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Karnal residents are in deep shock, especially those who knew Sushma Swaraj personally and had worked with her during her elections campaigns from the Karnal Lok Sabha seat.

Although she lost all three elections in 1980 (Janta Party), 1984 and 1989 (BJP), she had a special love for the residents of Karnal. Due to her charismatic personality, hordes of people thronged to attend her rally whenever she came to Karnal. 

Recalling the memories, Shashipal Mehta, former minister and senior BJP leader, said: “Sushma always called me ‘bhai sahab’. She used to come to my residence. On the occasion of my daughter marriage on February 3, 1999, she performed ‘milni’ ceremony as the bua (maternal aunt) of my daughter.”

Advocate JC Chawla, who was then youth president of the BJP in her elections, said: “She used to come to my residence and go straight to kitchen asking my mother to make ‘onion pakodas’ as she loved them most,” he added. Former Minister of State for Home ID Swami said her demise was an irreparable loss. Ashok Bhandari, senior BJP leader, said people of Karnal wanted to listen to her speeches.