The state funeral of union minister Ananth Kumar, 59, who died at 2 am on Monday,took place today at Karnataka capital Bengaluru's Chamrajpet TR Mill crematorium. The mortal remains of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister were consigned to flames with full state honours after hundreds of mourners paid their last respect to the departed soul. Before the last rites, the body of the union minister was brought to the Karnataka BJP office at 8 am. The body was kept there for the public to pay their last respects, till 10 am. The body was then shifted to National College Grounds at 10 am.
After news of his death, condolence messages from a vast spectrum of political leaders poured out. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and many other leaders expressed grief and shock over Ananth Kumar's death.
Ananth Kumar died at a private hospital in Bengaluru. He was being treated for lung cancer for several months. The Karnataka government on Monday declared a three-day state mourning till November 14 as a mark of respect. A government notification said there would be no official programmes held during the state mourning. The national flag would fly at half-mast on all government buildings.
BJP chief Amit Shah, home minister Rajnath Singh, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Nirmala Sitharaman, LK Advani and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan attended the funeral.
