New Delhi, September 04: President Pratibha Patil led the nation in mourning Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.
In a message from Moscow, where the President is currently on a State visit, Ms. Patil described him as a dynamic Chief Minister, and said that in his death the people of not only Andhra Pradesh, but the entire nation, had lost a leader and that his loss would be deeply felt.
“I had the opportunity to interact with him on a number of occasions. During our interactions, his deep commitment to the development of Andhra Pradesh, its rural areas, and the weaker sections of society and empowerment of women was always evident.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar expressed her deep shock and profound grief. “In Shri Reddy’s passing away, the country lost a towering personality, who, till his last breath, struggled hard to safeguard the rights of the poor and the underprivileged and facilitated all-round development of the State of Andhra Pradesh.”
She also condoled the deaths of Special Secretary P. Subramanyam, Chief Security Officer A.S.C. Wesley, and the two pilots, Group Captain S.K. Bhatia and Captain M.S. Reddy, who were with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister in the helicopter.
Vice-President M. Hamid Ansari, said Dr. Reddy would be remembered for his personal qualities and modesty, his deep empathy for the poor and the downtrodden and for the rational changes he brought about in administrative matters in the State through an emphasis on the development of the rural economy alongside new and emerging technological sectors.
U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer, in a condolence message on behalf of his government, recalled: “The Chief Minister was a strong supporter of the U.S.-India friendship and our bilateral partnership, visible in the strong economic and family ties between the people of Andhra Pradesh and the United States.”
“Son of the soil”
Cutting across party lines, political parties and their leaders paid rich tributes to Dr. Reddy. Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh called him “a son of the soil, who had a special concern for the welfare of the poor and other weaker sections of society.”
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani said that in his death, the people of Andhra Pradesh and the country had lost a very able and popular leader of the masses. “His contribution to the development of Andhra Pradesh, particularly the deprived classes of society, is praiseworthy.”
The former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, described Dr. Reddy as a progressive leader who was full of promises. “He was hard working, energetic and full of possibilities, and a dedicated politician. In his death, Andhra Pradesh has lost a progressive leader.”
Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said the nation had lost an illustrious son, an able administrator, a visionary, a statesman and a dynamic leader. “The fact that he lost his life, while on his way for a surprise check to a village, amply reflected his concern for the poor and the underprivileged.”
General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Prakash Karat said Dr. Reddy’s untimely death of was a big loss for Andhra Pradesh and the Congress. He conveyed his party’s deepest sympathy to Dr. Reddy’s wife and family members, as also the families of the members of the staff and the crew who died in the mishap.
Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav noted that Dr. Reddy was an able, dynamic and charismatic leader. “Dr. Reddy’s death has created a vacuum in Andhra Pradesh politics and his replacement is impossible.”
Members of the Union Cabinet, including Sharad Pawar, A.K. Antony, Ambika Soni, Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Farooq Abdullah, E. Ahmad, Vayalar Ravi, Pallam Raju, G.K. Vasan, C.P. Joshi, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Pawan Kumar Bansal, also expressed condolences over the death of Dr. Reddy.
—Agencies