Veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta passed away at his Jammu’s Gandhi Nagar residence today. He was 86.
“He was admitted in the Narayana Hospital after he tested positive for covid19. However, he was discharged from the hospital after he recovered from the covid19,” said BJP General Secretary (organization), Ashok Koul.
He said that Chaman Lal Gupta passed away at 5AM at his residence here. The deceased is survived by two sons and a daughter. One of his sons, a doctor, is settled abroad.
Meanwhile, the deceased was cremated at Jogi Gate today amid tears.
Chaman Lal Gupta became a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, for the first time, in 1972. He was again a member of Legislative Assembly between 2008 and 2014.
He was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha from Udhampur constituency of Jammu in 1996 and re-elected to 12th and 13th Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999. He had held key portfolios like Civil Aviation, Food Processing Industries and Defence (MoS).
PM, VP, LG, others condole demise
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed grief over Prof Chaman Lal Gupta’s demise.
In a tweet, PM Modi said: “Shri Chaman Lal Gupta Ji will be remembered for numerous community service efforts. He was a dedicated legislator and strengthened the BJP across Jammu and Kashmir. Pained by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief. Om Shanti.” Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has also expressed grief over Prof Gupta’s demise.
“Saddened by the demise of Shri Chaman Lal Gupta ji. Throughout his long political career, he remained deeply committed to the public cause. My condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti,” the VP Secretariat tweeted
LG Sinha
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in a condolence message prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and forbearance to the bereaved family.
“Deeply pained to hear about the passing away of former Union Minister, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta ji. A seasoned politician and a widely respected public figure, his demise is a great loss to the political sphere. He will always be remembered for his immense contribution towards the welfare of the people. My condolences to his family and friends” said LG Sinha.
Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan also expressed grief over the demise. The Advisor termed Prof Gupta’s demise “as a big loss to the political and social fraternity of the country in general and UT in particular”. In a condolence message, Khan recalled his long association with Prof Gupta saying that “he was an articulate political leader who always fought for the cause of downtrodden and made a lasting contribution in the service of the nation”.
The Advisor also remembered late Prof Gupta as “a brilliant teacher, an epitome of love and affection, who always motivated his students with his teachings. “His absence has left a void in the political, social and educational arena that cannot be filled up,” Khan said.
BJP
Various BJP leaders have also expressed grief over the demise. In a condolence message, BJP National general secretary and Prabhari J&K, Tarun Chugh expressed shock over the passing away of Prof Gupta.
J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said that “Prof. Gupta was a great leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and BJP, who right from his childhood worked for the esteem of the national flag”.
Raina said that late Prof. Gupta worked alongside all other great leaders in the struggle for “ek vidhan, ek nishan, ek pradhan.”
“He played his role on the front foot for every nationalist movement” he said.
J&K BJP state general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and forbearance to the bereaved family.
He said: “Late Prof Gupta was a beacon who has enlightened countless souls in his life”. Even today Prof. Gupta stands as a distinguished leader continuously inspiring the whole BJP family,” Kaul said.
Congress
Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has also expressed grief over the demise. “Prof. Gupta, was a senior scholarly leader of BJP who lived a very simple life. He served the people of J&K as MLA, MP and Union Minister. As Union Minister he maintained a very good rapport with the people and other political leaders across party lines. He had the distinction of being the first Union Minister of BJP from J&K state during Atalji’s Govt. My heartfelt condolence. I pray almighty to give strength and courage to his son Anil Gupta and other family members to bear this irreparable loss. May the departed soul rest in peace,” said Azad in a condolence message.
National Conference
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah have also expressed grief over the demise. Taking to Twitter, Omar wrote: “Sorry to hear about the demise of Professor Chaman Lal Gupta ji. Colleagues in the Vajpayee ministry, we went toe to toe in the J&K assembly between 2009 & 2014. He was a consummate politician who fought for what he believed but did so without being obnoxious or nasty. RIP”
National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana has also expressed grief over the demise.
Describing Prof Chaman Lal Gupta as a seasoned politician, Rana in a message said “that in his death Jammu has lost a highly public spirited leader, who would rise above party politics when it came to the welfare of the people”.
Rana recalled the contribution of Prof Gupta towards the people in his capacity as a public representative, especially as a Union Minister, and said that he would always highlight the issues of development and seek redressal to public grievances at different levels with sincerity of purpose.
“Jammu has lost a seasoned politician and a leader having immense qualities of head and heart”, Rana said.
Apni Party
J&K Apni Party President Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari and other party leaders have also condoled the demise. In a message, the Apni Party leadership extended condolences to the bereaved family and friends of late Prof Gupta.
Chairman People’s Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Yaseen in his condolence message said that Prof Gupta “was a great public figure who worked for the upliftment and wellbeing of poor and downtrodden sections of the society till his last breath”.
He said the demise of Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta has “created a void in the political spectrum of Jammu and Kashmir which was difficult to fill in”. He conveyed heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.