PM, Sonia join others in paying last respects to Baba

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday paid their last respects to spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba, who died on Sunday due to multiple-organ failure at Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences.

The Prime Minister and Ms Gandhi arrived in a special flight to the town and were driven to the Sai Kulwant Hall at the ashram Prashanti Nilayam from the airport.

Both the leaders stood in silence in front of the casket in which the body of the spiritual leader has been kept. They placed wreaths at his feet and near the casket for a few minutes while Bhajans rent the air. The two leaders left after a few minutes at around 5:15 PM.

Dr Manmohan Singh and Gandhi were accompanied by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni and Union Minister of State for Textiles Panabaka Lakshmi.

Earlier, Sri Lanka President Mahindra Rajapakse paid rich floral tributes to Sai Baba.

Earlier, former prime minister Deve Gowda, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group chairman Anil Ambani, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia paid their last respects to the departed soul. 

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna was also among the high-profile personalities who paid their last respects, along with thousand of the godman’s devotees and followers.

Earlier, Governor E S L Narasimhan and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy received the Prime Minister and Ms Sonia Gandhi at the Puttaparthi airport and accompanied them to Sai Kulwant Hall.