GUWAHATI: Well-wishers in large numbers from faraway places, personalities and political members cutting across party lines gathered at four venues in the city on Tuesday to pay their last respects to three-time chief minister Tarun Gogoi who breathed his last here on Monday evening.
Earlier, around 9.45 am on Tuesday, the mortal remains of the former Assam chief minister were taken out of Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) on a large vehicle, covered on top with white cloth and adorned with flowers, to his official residence at Minister’s Colony in Dispur.
Gogoi’s son and Lok Sabha MP, Gaurav Gogoi; Assam PCC president Ripun Bora; Leader of Opposition in Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia;MLAs Rakibul Hussain, Rekibuddin Ahmed, Rupjyoti Kurmi, besides other leaders/members of the party were seen accompanying the mortal remains to the former chief minister’s official residence.
Several hundreds were part of the 3-km long journey from GMCH to his residence where his wife, Dolly Gogoi, daughter Chandrima, daughter-in-law Elizabeth among other family members, political leaders, personalities and citizens paid their last respects to the departed leader.
The mortal remains of Gogoi were subsequently taken to Janata Bhawan (Secretariat) in the afternoon, the extensive complex which was constructed during the former chief minister’s tenure.
Assam minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, chief secretary Jishnu Baruah and DGP, Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta and other senior government officials apart from chief minister’s media advisor Hrishikesh Goswami, chief minister’s legal advisor Santanu Bharali were present at the Secretariat to pay floral tributes to the departed Congress leader.
Thereafter, the mortal remains were taken to the Assam Congress headquarters, Rajiv Bhawan, where several party workers and well-wishers assembled to pay tributes to a visionary, respected and loved by people within and outside the party.
Finally at dusk, the mortal remains were taken to Sankardev Kalakshetra where people assembled to pay tributes to their beloved leader till late Wednesday evening.
Sources said that central leaders are likely to visit the city on Wednesday to pay their last respects to the departed leader.
Apart from a sea of people who were part of the procession – from GMCH to Gogoi’s official residence and thereafter to Janata Bhawan, Rajiv Bhawan and Kalakshetra – people in large numbers gathered on both sides of GS Road for a last glimpse of the leader as the vehicle carrying the mortal remains steadily moved ahead.
State Cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed reporters that the cremation of the veteran Congress leader would take place in Guwahati with full national honours on Thursday.
The venue however was yet to be decided till Tuesday evening even as as state Congress leaders have been in talks with the state government to provide a suitable place in the city where a memorial could be built in the former chief minister’s honour.