Chandigarh, June 30 (PTI) Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister Nayab Saini, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and several other party leaders Monday paid floral tributes to former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12.
During a condolence meet here, Dattatreya said he had never imagined he would have to attend Rupani's condolence meeting.
Recalling their past interactions, he mentioned that when he was India's labour minister, Rupani, as Gujarat's labour minister, had once met him to discuss workers' issues with great depth and sincerity.
Haryana CM Saini, who attended the condolence event, described Rupani as an embodiment of simplicity and service.
He said that Rupani was compassionate towards the welfare of all sections of society. He was deeply committed to national service, public welfare, and party work.
Punjab BJP chief Jakhar also recalled his association with Rupani. When Rupani, after being appointed as the in-charge of the Punjab unit, came to the state, he met us like a simple, ordinary person - no gunmen, no fleet of vehicles, he said.
"I was deeply impressed because, in Punjab, even if someone gets a small position, they move around with gunmen and cars as if they were the chief minister. But Rupani ji was far from such show-offs - he was a down-to-earth, humble, and inclusive leader, always connected to the ground," he said.
BJP national secretary Narendra Singh Rana, while paying respects, shared his personal memories of working with Rupani since their student council days.
He said Rupani was a fair-minded leader who never discriminated against any worker and was wholly dedicated to the party. "His demise is an irreparable loss for the BJP and Punjab," he said.
Iqbal Singh Lalpura, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, remembered Rupani as a kind and respectful person who always honoured others.
Rupani's son, Rishabh Rupani, joined the event via phone from Ahmedabad and paid tributes to his father, describing him as a beloved leader of the BJP.
The event was attended by BJP organisation secretary Manthri Srinivasulu, Haryana BJP president Mohan Lal Badoli, RSS Punjab Prant Karyavah Vinay Kumar, BJP Chandigarh president Jatinder Malhotra and other leaders.