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Houses pay homage to Ranga, adjourn

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned on Thursday without transacting listed business after paying homage to power minister P Rangarajan Kumaramangalam, who passed away on Wednesday after a brief illness.

In the Lok Sabha, those who spoke of their association with Ranga, as Kumaramangalam was popularly known, included Speaker G M C Balayogi. The Upper House was adjourned soon after Chairman Krishan Kant read out a brief obituary reference.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said Ranga was not only a politician, but a many faceted personality whom he would miss very much. He praised Kumaramangalam's organisational abilities, administrative acumen and service to the working class people.

Opposition leader Sonia Gandhi said Ranga's death was a personal loss. She recalled her long-standing ties with Kumaramangalam's family and praised his exceptional ability to reach out to people.

Somnath Chatterjee of the Communist Party of India-Marxists recalled that Ranga, a young man with a brilliant mind, was an exceptional parliamentary affairs minister who carried along the Opposition in Parliament on many issues of national importance.

K Venugopalachary of the Telugu Desam Party said Kumaramangalam was a brilliant performer in the power ministry. The best tribute to him would be the resolve to carry forward his reforms in the power sector, he added.

Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi party commended Kumaramangalam's contributions to the nation.

Former prime minister Chandra Shekhar and former speaker P A Sangma paid tributes to Ranga and conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family.

Rashid Alvi of the Bahujan Samaj Party urged the prime minister to inquire into allegations of wrong treatment given to Kumaramangalam by a private hospital in the capital. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said that it had complicated his health.

G Vaiko of the MDMK said the prime minister lost a trusted colleague in Kumaramangalam's death. P H Pandian (AIADMK) also expressed condolences on behalf of his party.

Subsequently, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

UNI

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