Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) party office in Chandigarh to pay his respects to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who passed away at the age of 95 on Tuesday. Badal had been hospitalized in Mohali for a week before his death. The Prime Minister offered his condolences and praised Badal as a “remarkable statesman” who worked tirelessly for the progress of Punjab.
The Centre has declared a two-day national day of mourning across India in honor of the seasoned politician. All structures where the national flag is normally flown will fly the flag at half-mast on these two days of sorrow, and there will be no official entertainment.
Badal had served as a five-time chief minister and rose through the ranks of government after working as a rural sarpanch. He first ran in the assembly elections in 1957.
Recently, Badal’s party severed relations with the BJP following the 2020 farmer protest. He also returned his Padma Vibhushan award, the second-highest civilian distinction in the nation, in retaliation for the way the administration had handled farmer protesters.
