Former Union Minister Girija Vyas passes away at 78; Leaders condole her death

Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Girija Vyas, who suffered burn injuries in March while performing aarti at her home in Udaipur, has died at a hospital in Ahmedabad, her family said on Thursday. She was 78 years old. Vyas’s brother Gopal Sharma said that she succumbed to burn injuries at the Ahmedabad hospital this evening.

The Congress leader was performing aarti on March 31 during which her dupatta caught fire from a burning lamp and she suffered critical burn injuries. She was rushed to a private hospital in Udaipur and was later shifted to Ahmedabad.

Her funeral will be conducted in Udaipur on Friday, Sharma said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, former CM Ashok Gehlot, and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra expressed grief over the death of Vyas.

Sharma said Vyas’s life was dedicated to public service and that she will always be remembered as a popular leader due to her gentle behaviour.

The chief minister prayed to God to give a place to the departed soul in his feet and give strength to the bereaved family to bear this grief.

In a post in Hindi on X, former CM Gehlot said, “The demise of former Union minister and former Congress state president Dr Girija Vyas is an irreparable loss for all of us.” He further said, “Dr Girija Vyas had made a great contribution in the field of education, politics and social service. Her untimely demise in such an accident is a big shock for all of us.” Congress state president Dotasra said on X, “The news of the demise of senior Congress leader and former PCC president Dr Girija Vyas ji, who was a Union Minister, is extremely sad.” “The demise of Girija ji is an irreparable loss to the Congress family, her contribution to the progress of the Congress party and the state will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to Girija ji’s family and fans,” he said.

Vyas was a prominent Congress leader who served as a minister in both the state and central governments. She was also the PCC chief.

She also served as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women.

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI).