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Gujarat minister's body handed over to Rajkot Medical College

In a rare gesture, the family members of Gujarat Road and Building Minister Savjibhai Korat, who passed away at Ahmedabad yesterday following a brain haemorrhage, donated the late Bharatiya Janata Party leader's body to the Rajkot Medical College, even as the state government declared a three-day state mourning late last night.

His body was handed over to the RMC authorities at the college grounds amid sobs, tears and chanting of Vedic mantras in the presence of thousands of people and Gujarat's leaders from all walks of life.

Thirteen-year-old Prasant Korat, his elder son, completed the formality of handing over the body to Gujarat Health Minister Ashok Bhatt and the medical college authorities, instead of consigning the body to flames.

Before the body was handed over to the medical college for study and research an impressive guard of honour was given by Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, his cabinet colleagues, Rajkot Mayor Govindbhai Solanki, Union Minister for Chemicals Dr A K Patel, Congress leaders Shantaben Chavda, Dilip Patel and many other local leaders.

Though it was the first occasion in the history of Gujarat that any minister's body was donated to any medical college for research and study, it was not new for the Korats as the body of the minister's father had also been donated, to the Jamnagar Medical College.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to observe a three-day state mourning in Korat's honour. The national flag will fly at half-mast. All official functions during the period have been cancelled. Government offices in Rajkot and Gandhinagar districts and in Ahmedabad city remained closed today as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

UNI

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