Chhattisgarh Governor BD Tandon, who refused salary hike, passes away at 91

Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon passed away after suffering a heart attack early on Tuesday morning. He was 91.

The founder-member of the Jan Sangh was rushed to the Dr B R Ambedkar Hospital at around 8 am. He breathed his last around 2 pm. The state has declared a seven-day mourning as a mark of respect to the fifth governor of Chhattisgarh.

The body was kept in the Raj Bhawan before it was flown to Chandigarh, where the last rites will take place. He was six-time MLA from Chandigarh and was the deputy chief minister in the Akali Dal-Jan Sangh ministry in 1969-70.

He also served as cabinet minister in 1977-79 and in 1997-2002 in the ministries headed by Parkash Singh Badal. He became the governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014.
 

Tandon recently decided not to accept a raise in his salary. According to a new pay structure, state Governors' pay was revised to Rs 350,000 a month from Rs 110,000. But he decided not to accept the hike.

He played an important role in providing basic facilities to the people coming from Pakistan after the partition in 1947. During the India-Pakistan war in 1965, Tandon made a significant contribution in boosting the morale of the people living in Amritsar district near the border.

He is survived by wife Brijpal Tandon, two daughters --- Alka Kawatra and Poonam Batra --- and son Sanjay Tandon, who is the Chandigarh state BJP President.