Om Prakash Chautala, INLD leader and former Haryana CM passes away at 89

Om Prakash Chautala, Former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo passed away in Gurugram on Friday, December 20. He was 89.  

The Haryana government has declared a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala who passed away here on Friday. The INLD leader passed away at his residence in Gurugram, Haryana.

As per a message from the Haryana government Chief Secretary's Office," The state government has decided to observe three days state mourning in this regard from December 20 to 22". During this period of state mourning the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout the state of Haryana on all buildings where it is flown regularly. 

All state government functions shall stand cancelled and there will be no official entertainment, it added. The government has decided to accord the state funeral to the departed leader on December 21 at 3:00 pm at Teja Khera farm, Sirsa. The Haryana government has declared December 21 as a public holiday in all state government offices as a mark of respect to the departed soul.

Authorities have instructed Sirsa Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Sirsa to supervise all arrangements at Sirsa and Teja Khera. Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini described INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala as a visionary leader and stated that he will always be remembered for his contribution to the politics of the state.

Paying his tribute, CM Saini said, "I express my deep condolences on the demise of senior leader Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala ji. With his demise, a chapter of Haryana politics has come to an end. His contribution to Haryana politics will always be remembered. Chautala ji's personality was a symbol of simplicity and struggle.

"Former Haryana CM and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda recounted Chautala's tenure as CM, while he was Assembly's LoP, referring to him as an 'older brother.' "When Om Prakash ji was the CM, I was the LoP… We had good relations. He served people...He was still active. It didn't feel that he would leave us so soon...He was a good person and like an older brother to me," Hooda told reporters. 

(this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)