Revolutionary leader Singh's body cremated with state honours
KATHMANDU, SEP 12 - The last rites of veteran revolutionary leader Ram Raja Prasad Singh, who passed away this morning at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, was performed with state honours on Wednesday evening.
An emergency Cabinet meeting earlier today decided to accord state honours to Singh’s funeral in recognition of his outstanding role in Nepal’s republican movement. Furthermore, government spokesperson Raj Kishor Yadav said Singh would be honoured with a 13-cannon salute as well.
The cabinet also decided to confer Singh with a special honour called “Rastriya Gaurav” which was earlier conferred on veteran leader of Nepal’s democratic movement, late Ganesh Man Singh.
As decided by the cabinet meeting, Singh’s body was kept at Khula Manch from 12 to 3 in the afternoon for condolences. Later, his body was taken to Pashupati Aryaghaat where his last rites performed according to Hindu rituals.
The government has also extended condolences to the bereaved family.
Likewise, the government has issued an executive order to flay national flags at half mast in all the diplomatic missions in and outside the country.
Singh passed away at around 6 this morning at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital while receiving medical treatment. He was suffering from high blood pressure, nervous disease, Parkinson's disease and dementia.
He had been kept on mechanical support for respiration since September 21 after his health condition worsened.
According to hospital Director Dr KK Singh, the septuagenarian revolutionist had developed multiple complications including those of kidney and heart.
PM Bhattarai, Dahal pay respect
After Singh's demise, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, among other leaders, went to the hospital and paid their last respects to Singh.
Biography
Singh was bon in a wealthy landowner’s family of Saptari district.
The UCPN (Maoist) had proposed Singh as their candidate in the first presidential election in May 2008 after the Constituent Assembly (CA) election. However, he could not win the election.
Singh was convicted of the 1985 bombings in the Capital including outside then Narayanhit Palace (now turned into museum) in the Capital and his property was confiscated. Eight people including a member of parliament were killed in the bombing.
However, he managed to escape to India to live an exiled life. He came back to Nepal after the restoration of democracy in 1990.
Singh is arguably the only Nepali leader who met with Latin American revolutionary leader Che Guevara. It is said that he met Guevara while he was studying in Indian Capital New Delhi. - Ekantipur
प्रकाशित मिति:
September 12, 2012