'Towering statesman' PM Modi condoles Dhindsa's death

New Delhi, May 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled
the death of Akali leader and former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, and praised him as a "towering statesman with great wisdom and an unwavering commitment to public service".
     Dhindsa died Wednesday evening following age-related health issues at a private hospital in Mohali. He was 89.
     Modi said that his death is a major loss to the nation.
    "He always had a grassroots level connect with Punjab, its people and culture. He championed issues like rural development, social justice and all-round growth. He always worked to make our social fabric even stronger," the prime minister said in a post on X.
     Modi said he knew Dhindsa for many years, and they interacted closely on various issues.
     Dhindsa became Shiromani Akali Dal Lok Sabha MP from Sangrur in 2004. He was the Union minister of sports, chemicals and fertilizers in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.
     Dhindsa was a Rajya Sabha MP from 1998 to 2004 and from 2010 to 2022. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)