Mukherjee believed deeply in importance of India, US tackling global challenges together: Biden
Washington: Pranab Mukherjee believed deeply in the importance of India and the US tackling global challenges together, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has said, condoling the death of the former president.
Several other prominent US leaders and organisations also condoled Mukherjee's death, saying he will go down in history among India's most distinguished statesmen and scholars.
The 84-year-old veteran politician died after he suffered a septic shock on Sunday. He died of a cardiac arrest on Monday evening following a 21-day battle with multiple ailments.
"President Shri Pranab Mukherjee was a devout public servant who believed deeply in the importance of our two nations tackling global challenges together. Jill and I are saddened to hear of his passing - our prayers go out to his loved ones and the Indian people," Biden said on Monday.
As a Senator, in particular as member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and its chairman and later as the vice president of the United States, Biden had a strong friendship with Mukherjee, who was one of the most well-known Indian leaders in the US.
According to Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, a strong US-India partnership will be one of Mukherjee's many lasting legacies.
"He'll go down in history among India's most distinguished statesmen and scholars, and his many visits to Washington, everything he did for the relationship, played an instrumental role in expanding this US-India relationship, both in defence and external affairs when he was the minister," the top American diplomat said during the virtual India US Leadership Summit organised by the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Monday.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends," the USISPF said.
Condoling Mukherjee's demise, the South and Central Asia Bureau of the State Department in a tweet said, "We stand with the people of India as they grieve the loss of a great leader who will be forever remembered in the annals of Indian history.
The US India Business Council said with Mukherjee's death, India lost an incredible statesman. He was a longtime supporter of the US-India partnership, it tweeted.
The New York Times described the former president as an "Indispensable Man of Indian Politics".
"His 50-year career set an everlasting example for the world's largest democracy," Congressman Pete Olson said.
In a statement, Indian Overseas Congress, USA, expresses its deep sorrow and sincere condolences on the demise of Mukherjee.
"He was a quintessential congressman, formidable leader and a great parliamentarian, said George Abraham, vice-chairman of the IOC, USA.
"NRIs across the globe will fondly remember his contribution to the country in various capacities as a political leader, minister of important portfolios, sharp troubleshooter and a statesman with an independent mindset who adorned the office of the presidency. We also pay tribute to the pivotal role he has played in passing the Indo-US civil nuclear treaty despite the coalition partners' threats," he said.
North America Telugu Society said Mukherjee leaves behind a rich legacy of his work, which will inspire generations to come.
He championed issues that lie at the heart of India's social, economic and developmental challenges -- literacy, healthcare, food security, energy security, rural and urban planning, economic empowerment, governance and administrative reforms, and national and regional security, it said.
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New Year stabbings rock Delhi, leave 3 dead
New Delhi (PTI): The New Year evening was streaked with blood with three almost back-to-back stabbings leaving an equal number of people dead in Delhi.
Bihari Lal, 50, was allegedly stabbed in an attack by a group of juveniles when he asked them to stop shouting and playing loud music in northwest Delhi's Lal Bagh area.
A tailor by profession, Bihari Lal had just returned home Thursday evening from his job in Shastri Nagar, when he was faced with a raucous mob of revellers, whom he chastised for making noise.
"This led to a heated exchange, during which one of the juveniles stabbed Lal," a police officer said, adding that one of the boys kicked the victim several times during the fight.
Bihari Lal was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police apprehended a juvenile in connection with the killing and seized the weapon of the crime. A hunt for the rest involved in the fight is on.
An FIR was registered at the Adarsh Nagar Police Station, and investigators are examining eyewitness accounts and CCTV footage from the area.
Bihari Lal's family and neighbours alleged that the group was notorious for creating disturbance in the area.
"He had just returned from duty and was parking his cycle when they came and started abusing everyone, throwing buckets, boxes and people's belongings. Bihari Lal only told them not to use abusive language and shout, as there were women and children around. That was all he said," Dimple, a neighbour, recounted.
Pushpa, a relative, alleged that the group had been terrorising residents for some time. "They keep throwing bottles, stones and sticks, and nobody does anything. We complained earlier, but no action was taken. The police never did anything," she said.
Pushpa said four boys were involved in the attack and "they stabbed him three times."
Hours later, in outer Delhi's Mangolpuri, an e-rickshaw driver, Vikas, was stabbed in a fight.
According to police, Vikas and his friend Sandeep, a daily-wage labourer, both aged 20, were sitting together when a group of youths started a fight with them.
"During the altercation, one of the accused stabbed Vikas, causing fatal injuries. Sandeep also suffered a minor lacerated wound," an officer said.
Both were taken to a nearby hospital, where Vikas was declared dead.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victims and the attackers had bad blood, police said.
All six accused, four of them underage, involved in the stabbing were apprehended, police said.
The same evening, a 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death in nearby Sultanpuri.
Around 11.30 pm, police were informed that a group of men had attacked a minor with a knife.
"A police team rushed to the spot and found the injured boy lying on the road with multiple stab wounds," an officer said.
The victim, whose identity was not revealed by the police, was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
Vikram, a man aged about 30 with a history of crime, was arrested for allegedly killing the boy.
During interrogation, Vikram, who police said has six criminal convictions, revealed that two more men were with him at the time of the stabbing. A search for them has been launched.
The boy's mother said her son had been threatened several times before by the attackers, but police took no action.
"My son had gone out only to get some juice when a few people started abusing him, and a fight broke out. I ran downstairs from my sister's house and begged them not to harm my son. Instead, they took out a knife and attacked me. I somehow ran into a shop, where I saw my son being stabbed in front of my eyes," the boy's mother, Bali, said.
She said that the accused had earlier also entered her house armed with weapons. "I informed the police, but no action was taken."
The boy was her only son.
The motive of the killing is yet to be ascertained by the police.
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