SAIFAI (ETAWAH): Hectic activities were underway at the ‘Samadhi Sthal’ near the Saifai Mahotsava ‘pandal’ on Monday where the last rites of former chief minister and Samajwadi Party Patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav will be performed, but the mood is sombre. The event, scheduled to be held at 3 pm on Tuesday, is likely to be attended by a number of Union and state ministers besides other dignitaries as well as the common people.
Unlike all previous occasions where Saifai was upbeat to welcome Mulayam, today teary-eyed locals, especially women and children, gathered to mourn the death of the politician who was like a father, brother and a son to all.
The mortal remains of the former CM reached Saifai at around 5.30 pm on Monday via Yamuna Expressway for last rites. The body was taken directly to his Saifai Kothi residence, where it has been kept in the meeting hall for the last ‘darshan’ for public and VIPs.
His siblings Abhayram Singh Yadav and Rajpal Singh Yadav, along with other family members were present there to receive the mortal remains.
His son former chief minister and SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav accompanied the mortal remains from Gurugram’s Medanta hospital. A large gathering had thronged his ancestral residence.
The preparations for the last rites continued till late evening. A waterproof ‘pandal’ is being erected at the funeral site. As a mark of respect, the 158-ft-high Samajwadi Party flag has been lowered at the Saifai Mahotsav venue.
Crowds gathered on both sides of the road’s were desperate to have Netaji’s (Mulayam’s) last glimpse. Slogans like ‘Netaji amar rahen’.. ‘Dhartiputra Mulayam Singh Yadav amar rahen’, rented the air when the ambulance carrying the mortal remains arrived in Saifai.
SDM Jyotsna Bandhu and circle officer Nagendra Choubey reached the ancestral village of the Socialist leader and took stock of the security preparations outside the residence. Police arrangements were being made.
“The funeral will be held at the family cremation site also called ‘Samadhi Sthal’ near the Saifai Mahotsav ‘pandal’ on Tuesday at 3 pm. It was here that his brother Ratan Singh Yadav was also cremated,” said SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, who added, “The body will be brought to the ‘pandal’ for the last ‘darshan’ on Tuesday morning.”
Necessary arrangements were being made at the ‘samadhi’ site and for the last ‘darshan’ at the pandal. People from the surrounding areas and nearby districts have started coming to Saifai.
Vijay Singh Shakya, who looks after all household affairs of ‘Netaji’ and village head Saifai, Ramphal Valmiki, were supervising the arrangements related to his last rites.
“The entire village is saddened by Netaji’s demise. The meeting hall is the place where he used to sit and meet people, today people are coming to pay their last respects at the same place,” said Ramphal Valmiki, Mulayam’s loyalist.
Mulayam, who was born, brought up and started his political journey from Saifai, breathed his last at the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Monday morning.
