Tributes continue to pour in on Scindia

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 1. A day after the tragic death of the Congress leader, Mr. Madhavrao Scindia in an aircrash, tributes continued to pour in, with Chief Ministers, political leaders and industry expressing grief over the sudden development that shocked the nation.

The Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr. Ashok Gehlot, was at the airport to receive the body of the late Congress leader in the early hours today. Describing his death as a personal loss, Mr. Gehlot said the country had lost a young, energetic and a promising leader.

The Maharasthra Chief Minister, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh, said the death was a great loss to the Congress and a personal loss to him.

The Union Water Resources Minister, Mr. Arjun Charan Sethi, recalled Mr. Scindia's contribution to national politics, particularly as an outstanding parliamentarian. He said his commitment and respect for well-established parliamentary rules, practices and procedures, and etiquette were exemplary.

The Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee probing the stock market scam, Mr. Shri Prakash Mani Tripathi, said it was not just the Congress but the whole country that had lost a towering personality. ``Liked and respected by all MPs, he embodied the best of our democratic systems and ethos. His contribution in debates was weighty and convincing without being offensive''. The former UP Chief Minister, Mr. Ram Naresh Yadav, said Mr. Scindia's death was a great loss both to the Congress and youth of this country.``A star on the political horizon has vanished forever,'' he said in a statement.

Expressing sorrow, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi said his death has weakened the voice of minorities, the poor and oppressed people.

The Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Chaudhry Prem Singh, said Mr. Scindia was an asset to the country as he always fought for the downtrodden, the oppressed and the have-nots.

Senior Congress leader and the AICC secretary, Dr. T. Subbarami Reddy, said Mr. Scindia had served the people of India well and one could never forget his contribution. The president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India, Mr. Raghu Mody, said Mr. Scindia had supported economic reforms. The Confederation of Tourism Professionals also condoled the death and recalled Mr. Scindia's contribution as a Minister for Tourism.

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