Silchar: Last rites of Kabindra Purkayastha performed amid gun salutes

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Amid gun salutes, the last rites of Kabindra Purkayastha were performed at Silchar Smashan on Thursday as thousands of common people and political leaders of various affiliations thronged to the District Sports Association ground to pay their last tributes. Kabindra Purkayastha's son Kanad Purkayastha, Rajya Sabha MP, lit the pyre amid Vedic hymns. State BJP President MP Dilip Saikia paid floral tributes to the mortal remains of Kabindra Purkayastha, who was a Minister of State in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government as well as one of the founder members of the BJP.

The Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, said that the state had announced a one-day holiday in Cachar district as a mark of respect to the Late Kabindra Purkayastha. This solemn gesture reflects the collective grief of the people and honours his meaningful contributions, giving everyone an opportunity to offer tribute and remember his life and enduring legacy, he added.

Minister Kaushik Rai, MP Parimal Suklabaidya, local MLA Dipayan Chakraborty, MLAs like Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Mihir Kanti Shome, and Nihar Ranjan Das were present throughout the funeral procession. Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev also laid a wreath on the body of Purkayastha at DSA ground.

Earlier in the morning, the body of Purkayastha was first brought to his residence at Nutan Patty and the later taken to the BJP district office, Narsing HS School where he was a teacher, and RSS office.

Also Read: Assam Govt Declares Holiday in Cachar to Honour Late BJP Veteran Kabindra Purkayastha