Thousands brave rain to pay last respects to Vijay Rupani
Rajkot: There was an outpouring of grief as people of Rajkot turned out in large numbers despite the pouring rain to bid adieu to
Vijay Rupani
on Monday. The mortal remains of the former chief minister, who was onboard the ill-fated London-bound flight AI 171, were flown from Ahmedabad to Rajkot for people to pay their last respects.
Thousands attended his final procession and cremation.
Earlier in the day, Chief minister Bhupendra Patel and other ministers of the state govt were present at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to pay their respects to the 68-year-old departed leader when his remains were handed over with state honours to his wife Anjali, and children, Rushabh and Radhika, who broke down as they received the coffin.
People lined the route from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to the city airport and showered petals on the ambulance carrying Rupani's remains.
The body was then flown by chartered aircraft to Rajkot for final rites.
At Rajkot, huge crowds waited for the flight to touch down at Hirasar airport. The family boarded the ambulance that carried the coffin out of the airport and broke down seeing waiting family and friends. A 10km shraddhanjali yatra carrying the remains was taken out from Greenland Chokdi, the entry point of Rajkot, to the former CM's residence in Prakash Society.
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Despite the continuous rain, thousands of people, including BJP leaders and party members, joined this procession and later, his final journey from his home to the crematorium.
Traffic was diverted, and people paid homage to the leader from the terraces and balconies of their houses. Many workers carried the national flag and chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jay', 'Vijaybhai Amar Raho', and 'Jab tak Suraj Chand Rahega, Vijaybhai ka Nam Rahega,' as the shraddhanjali yatra slowly moved towards the Rupani residence where the mortal remains were kept for people to pay their last respects.
Union home Minister Amit Shah, chief minister Bhupendra Patel, governor Acharya Devvrat, C R Paatil, Nitin Patel, local MLAs, MPs, and other dignitaries were there to pay their tribute and be with the family.
Rupani's final journey passed through Kalawad Road, Astron Chowk, Malaviya Chowk and Corporation Chowk, and stopped at the Pujit Rupani Trust, which he had formed for social work, before reaching the Ramnathpara crematorium.
Rupani died on Thursday when his flight to London crashed moments after take-off in Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 flyers on board.
Like the bodies of most passengers on the ill-fated plane, Rupani's body could not be visually identified. His remains were identified after DNA samples from his family members were matched with DNA from the remains.
Rupani was chief minister of Gujarat from Aug 2016 to Sept 2021 and was instrumental in steering the state through the post-Covid recovery phase.
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