Union Cabinet condoles Mukherjee's demise, observes 2-minutes silence
Sep 01, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 1 : The Union Cabinet on Tuesday condoled and expressed profound sorrow at the demise of former President Pranab Mukherjee.
The Cabinet also observed silence for 2 minutes in his memory, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Mukherjee, 84, passed away on Monday at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) Hospital where he was admitted earlier this month and had undergone surgery for the removal of a clot in his brain. He had also tested positive for COVID-19.
The country is observing a seven-day state mourning following the demise of Mukherjee.
He was born in the small village of Mirati in Birbhum District of West Bengal to freedom fighters Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee and Rajlakshmi on December 11, 1935.
Pranab Mukherjee was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1969 and began a nearly five-decade journey of exemplary public life. He was a Union Minister for over 20 years and had a rare distinction of having served as Union Minister for Finance, External Affairs, Defence and Commerce.
Another rare distinction was that he served as leader of both Houses of Parliament - Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha (1980-85) and Leader of House in Lok Sabha (June 2004 to June 2012). He was also Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (1991-96).
He took the oath as the 13th President of India in 2012 and was conferred Bharat Ratna in 2019.
