NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JAN 10
Former Union minister and Congress veteran Madhavsinh Solanki, who had served as chief minister of Gujarat on four occasions, was on Sunday cremated with full state honours in Ahmedabad.
ગુજરાતને વિકાસના પંથે દોરવનાર યુગપુરુષ,ગુજરાત કોંગ્રેસના પિતામહ સ્વર્ગસ્થ માધવસિંહ સોલંકી સાહેબને ગાર્ડ ઓફ ઓનર સાથે અંતિમ વિદાય…. #ૐ_શાંતિ #Madhavsinhsolanki pic.twitter.com/3AjDKjGOdF
— Gujarat Congress (@INCGujarat) January 10, 2021
Solanki (93), a former external affairs minister, died on Saturday at his residence in Gandhinagar.
His son Bharatsinh Solanki, a former Union minister, performed the rituals at a crematorium here after Solanki senior’s mortal remains, wrapped in the Tricolour, were brought in a procession from Rajiv Bhavan, the headquarters of the state unit of the Congress.
ગુજરાતના પૂર્વ મુખ્યમંત્રી – દેશના પૂર્વ વિદેશમંત્રી સ્વર્ગસ્થ આદરણિય શ્રી માધવસિંહજી સોલંકી સાહેબના અંતિમ દર્શન.. અમદાવાદના અંતિમધામ ખાતે પવિત્ર દેહ પંચમહાભૂતમાં વિલીન#ૐ_શાંતિ #Madhavsinhsolanki pic.twitter.com/NX38aw2Nyq
— Gujarat Congress (@INCGujarat) January 10, 2021
Among the several hundred people who joined the procession were Congress’ Gujarat in-charge Rajeev Satav, state unit party president Amit Chavda and Leader of the Opposition in Assembly Paresh Dhanani.
Deeply moved & touched by the condolence letter of @INCIndia President Smt. Sonia Gandhi Ji.
I earnestly thank her for remembering my family in this hour of grief. pic.twitter.com/j6OiaJN2k2
— Bharat Solanki (@BharatSolankee) January 10, 2021
Bharatsinh Solanki, who returned from the US on Sunday to perform the last rites, said his father was a “friend, philosopher and guide”.
“Wherever I am today is because of my father. He was my friend, philosopher, and guide, always standing by my side like a rock. Gujarat knows him very well. In the six decades of his public life, he served the people,” said Bharatsinh, a former president of the Congress in Gujarat.
@INCIndia अध्यक्षा श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी जी की तरफ से @INCMaharashtra के अध्यक्ष व राजस्व मंत्री श्री @bb_thorat जी ने राजीव गांधी भवन,अहमदाबाद पर गुजरात के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री श्री माधवसिंह सोलंकी जी के अंतिम दर्शन कर,श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की और @BharatSolankeeजी को शॉकसन्देश पोहचाया। pic.twitter.com/GgFYJ8nZVY
— Amit Chavda (@AmitChavdaINC) January 10, 2021
He said that the people of Gujarat had witnessed a “golden period” when his father, as a CM, implemented a slew of measures ranging from the mid-day meal scheme in schools to Kanya Kelavni (free education for girls in Gujarat) to taking the state’s GDP to over 32 percent, making it the highest in the country.
“My father as a CM also ensured the state attains top position industrially. He managed to get environmental clearance for the Narmada Dam project, brought the Planning Commission to the taluka level, and also led the party to a record 149-seat win in the Assembly elections (in 1985),” Bharatsinh added.
