Former Gujarat health minister Hemaben Acharya passes away at 92
Hemaben Acharya, veteran Jan Sangh and BJP leader and former health minister of Gujarat, passed away on Sunday in Junagadh. Acharya was 92 and is survived by her only son, Dhruv.
Born in 1933, Hemaben hailed from Halvad in Surendranagar district. She was the wife of veteran Jan Sangh leader and former Rajya Sabha MP, late Suryakant Acharya.
Associated with Jan Sangh from the begining of her public life, Hemaben was first elected to Junagadh Municipality on the symbol of Jan Sangh in 1958. She was also elected the president of the municipality.
In 1975, she was elected an MLA from Junagadh constituency and was appointed as the Minister of Health and Family Planning in the government headed by Chief Minister Babubhai Jashbhai Patel.
When Saurashtra's Morbi was struck by the Machchu Dam tragedy and Hemaben had reached the town in a truck, said Yogendrasinh Padhiyar, a family friend of the Acharyas. He added that Hemaben was also kept under house arrest during the Emergency under the provisions of controversial Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).
According to Padhiyar, a number of noted personalities have expressed condolences on Hemaben's demise that included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, local MP, MLAs and former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. He added that PM Modi called up Hemaben's son to express his condolences.
Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil too paid tributes to Hemaben through a post on social media. Gohil said that she was a plain speaker who would always remain awakened on people's issues. He added that Hemaben was an unmoved voice of Junagadh who would steadfastly represent even failures and deficiencies of the government of her own ideology.
A prayer meeting was organised in Junagadh on Monday evening to pay tributes to Hemaben.
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