Pb, Raj govts announce 7-day mourning for Gujral

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today cancelled all his pre-scheduled public functions across the state till December 6.

These functions included inauguration of CII's Agro Tech Fair here by him scheduled for tomorrow.

Badal also cancelled the inauguration of PHD Chamber's annual International Trade Expo (PITEX)-2012 at Amritsar on December 6.

However, Badal would attend the inaugural function of Indian School of Business (ISB) at Mohali to be inaugurated by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram tomorrow, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot passed a resolution expressing grief over the death of Gujral last evening and declared the mourning.

The state mourning in Rajasthan is from November 30 to December 6.

The tricolour would fly half mast and no entertainment activities will be held during this period.

The activities which were being held at different places (by the Rajasthan government authorities) have also been cancelled.

In Punjab, the light and sound programme on the legendary Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur by Sikh Virsa Vihar, Amritsar would be organised at Chapparchiri War Memorial in Mohali as per schedule tomorrow, but the chief minister would not participate in the function, an official spokesman said.

Likewise, Punjab Chief Minister has also cancelled the inauguration of various development projects in Bholath area on December 3 besides his two-day Sangat Darshan programme in Lambi assembly segment on December 4 and 5, he said.

"The fresh dates of the functions which had been either postponed or cancelled due to the state mourning in the respect of departed leader (Gujral) will be announced later on by the chief minister's office," he said in Chandigarh.

Gujral, who passed away yesterday at the age of 92, was cremated today in New Delhi with state honours in the presence President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and several other leaders and dignitaries.