Vajpayee a binding force of NDA: Uddhav Thackeray
Mumbai, Aug 16 : Paying rich tributes to former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday described him as a "strong binding force of the National Democratic Alliance".
He said that the former Prime Minister always went hand-in-hand with all big or small coalition parties to carry the NDA forward, and it was his ability to take along everybody together that strengthened the National Democratic Alliance.
The leader of the BJP's oldest ally and now the biggest partner, Thackeray recalled how his late father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and Vajpayee enjoyed a very close rapport, with both debating many issues.
"Pride, arrogance or rigidity of power was miles away from him; he was upright and honest, gentle and mild-mannered, and his perpetually smiling face an inspiration for all. I met him several times and he always blessed me like a father. Nobody can take his place," Thackeray said.
Union minister and senior party leader Anant Geete described him as "a great human being, truly one of the greatest leaders we had, and it was my great privilege to work under him."
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Rahul Gandhi meets Pahalgam terror attack victim Lt Vinay Narwal's kin in Karnal
Chandigarh, May 6 (PTI): Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday met the family members of Navy officer Lt Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
Accompanied by senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad, who is the party's Haryana affairs in-charge, the LoP reached Karnal in Haryana in the afternoon.
Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan, Congress' Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and party leader Divyanshu Budhiraja were also present when Gandhi arrived.
After paying his tributes to the Naval officer upon reaching his residence, Gandhi spent more than one-and-a-half hours with Narwal's family.
Gandhi did not talk to the reporters who were waiting outside Lt Narwal's house. However, he later said on X, "I met the bereaved family of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal ji, who was martyred in the Pahalgam attack, shared their grief and consoled them. Their courage and bravery even in the face of immense grief is a message for the country - we have to remain united.
"The entire country stands with the families of the martyrs. The government has the full support of the opposition -- the culprits should be punished in such a way that no one dares to raise an eye toward India. Today, along with the victim families, the entire country is waiting for justice."
Speaking to reporters later, Hooda said Gandhi consoled the family. "Rahul Gandhi paid homage to martyr Narwal, talked separately to his family members and offered his condolences."
Haryana Congress chief Bhan told PTI that Gandhi consoled the family and shared their grief.
"He met with the family members, including his parents," said Bhan.
After meeting the family, Gandhi left for Delhi, he said.
Married three weeks ago, 26-year-old Lt Narwal, accompanied by his wife Himanshi, was on a honeymoon trip to Pahalgam when terrorists shot him at point blank on April 22.
A week ago, Gandhi had also visited the family members of Shubham Dwivedi, who was among the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.
Stressing that strict and concrete action should be taken against the terrorists, Gandhi had then said the united opposition had given full support to the government.
Besides those killed, several people were injured when terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.
पहलगाम हमले में शहीद हुए लेफ्टिनेंट विनय नरवाल जी के शोकाकुल परिवार से मिलकर उनका दुख बांटा, उन्हें सांत्वना दी। अपार दुख में भी उनका हौसला और साहस देश के लिए एक संदेश है - हमें एकजुट रहना है।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 6, 2025
पूरा देश शहीदों के परिवारों के साथ खड़ा है। सरकार को विपक्ष का पूरा समर्थन है -…
