A high-level Indian delegation, which arrived in the capital Sunday, paid last tributes to Koirala. Speaker of India´s Lok Sabha Meira Kumar, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Minister for External Affairs SM Krishna went first to Sujata Koirala´s house in Mandikatar and then to the Dasharath Stadium to pay homage to Koirala. [break]
On behalf of the people, parliament and government of India, they expressed condolence to the bereaved family, especially to Koirala´s daughter and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala.
"I share my deepest condolence and grief on the demise of Shri Girija Prasad Koirala, who was one of the greatest leaders of Nepal and of South Asia. The passing away of Shri Koirala marks the end of an era in the Nepalese politics,” Speaker Kumar wrote in the condolence book.
Likewise, Mukherjee wrote, “It is with a sense of deep sorrow that I mourn the passing away of Shri Girija Prasad Koirala, the great leader of Nepal and South Asia. In his demise, we have lost a statesman, a true democrat and a great friend of India.”
The message further said, “An institution in himself, Shri Koirala played a very important role in the struggle for democracy in Nepal and in strengthening the close relations between our two countries. His loss is irreparable not only for Nepal, India and South Asia but also for the cause of democracy and peace for which he worked tirelessly.”
Indian Foreign Minister´s message said that in Koirala´s demise, Nepal and South Asia lost an “outstanding political leader,” who was passionately committed to the cause of democracy and peace and friendship between "our two countries".
“The contribution of Shri Koirala in his six-decade-long political career as an experienced, determined and tireless leader would always remain source of inspiration for both the present and future generations. His death has left a void in Nepal´s history,” Krishna´s message said.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajnath Singh, senior leader of India´s Nationalist Congress Party DP Tripathy, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury also flew in to pay last respects to Koirala. The trio also attended the cremation of Koirala´s body at Pashupati.
In messages sent to PM Madhav Nepal and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala, Pakistan´s Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also expressed condolences over Koirala´s demise.
"He had played a very important role in the political developments of Nepal in the past decades and his passing away is indeed a national loss to your country," Gillani said in a message of condolence sent to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Likewise, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the UK, David Miliband, sent a message of condolence to the DPM.
Expressing his condolence to the family, Nepali Congress Party and the Nepali people, Miliband´s message added, “I am sure he will be remembered for his devotion to democracy, as well as his role as peacemaker.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal held half an hour talks with the members of the Indian high-level delegation, which came to pay tributes to Koirala.
In his meeting with the Indian Speaker, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister and Indian ambassador to Nepal, Rakesh Sood, at Baluwatar, PM Nepal assured the Indian leaders of concluding the peace process as per the wish of late Koirala and according to a political understanding among the political parties.
The delegation returned to New Delhi Sunday itself.
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