Parkash Singh Badal's ashes immersed in Sutlej at Kiratpur Sahib

Muktsar/Kiratpur Sahib, May 3

The Badal family today immersed the ashes of former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Sutlej at ‘asth ghat’ of Gurdwara Patalpuri Sahib in Kiratpur Sahib today.

The head granthi of Takth Kesgarh Sahib Joginder Singh performed ‘antim ardas’. Sukhbir Badal planted a sapling in the memory of his father at the gurdwara complex.

All members of the Badal family, accompanied by the Sikh priests, had gone to perform the rituals in a cavalcade of two luxury buses and cars from their Badal village.

Badal, 95, had passed away at a private hospital in Mohali on April 25. The cremation was done at Badal village on April 27.

The ‘bhog’ ceremony for the departed soul has been scheduled for May 4 at a school ground in Badal village.

A large number of dignitaries, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, are expected to attend the ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid tributes to the SAD patriarch by visiting Akali Dal’s head office in Chandigarh on April 26.

A number of parking lots have been prepared, besides a route plan has been issued. Further, keeping in mind the prevailing weather, a back-up venue for the ‘bhog’ ceremony has been readied at Killianwali grain market.

Amit Shah, Om Birla to visit SAD patriarch’s village

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will visit Badal village on Thursday to pay homage to SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal who passed away recently. Shah will be accompanied by senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh, Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Som Parkash, said Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma on Wednesday. PTI