Thousands pay homage to Scindia

By Our Staff Correspondent

GWALIOR, OCT. 3. All roads here led to Rani Mahal where thousands of mourners came from far-off places to have a last glimpse of the mortal remains of their beloved Maharaj and senior Congress leader, Mr. Madhavrao Scindia.

It was cloudy this morning and the day began with a gentle drizzle. Many of those who were in the queue to pay homage to the departed leader were heard saying that these showers are God's blessings for ``Shrimant Maharaj'' Madhavrao Scindia.

Mr. Madhvarao Scindia's body lies in state at Rani Mahal for darshan in a coffin wrapped in the Tricolour. The cremation will take place tomorrow at the royal Chhatri, where many of Mr. Scindia's ancestors were cremated. In January, Mr. Scindia's mother Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia was cremated at the same venue.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Congress(I) president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi and the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, are some of the prominent dignitaries, who would be arriving here tomorrow to attend Mr. Scindia's funeral.

Ms. Gandhi is scheduled to reach here by a special plane at 8.30 a.m. and the Prime Minister at 11. a.m. Mr. Scindia's last journey will commence from Rani Mahal at 9 a.m. and reach Chhatri by about 10.30 a.m.

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, arrived here on Tuesday along with senior party leaders, Ms. Mohsina Kidwai, Mr. Motilal Vora, Mr. Natwar Singh and Mr. Pranab Mukerjea. The Chattisgarh Chief Minister, Mr. Ajit Jogi, and the senior Congress leader from Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Kamal Nath, also arrived here today to attend the funeral.

The mourners - thousands of them who came and bowed before their Maharaj for the last time - had an expression of absolute pain and suffering caused by his untimely demise.

They came barefoot like devotees, some with folded hands and some carrying flowers to express their endless faith and devotion to the departed soul.

Some of them were even too old to walk but they were all present braving the showers to be by the side of Mr. Scindia's son, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia and other members of the family, including Mr. Madhavrao Scindia's wife, Ms. Madhvi Raje, daughter-in-law, Ms. Priyadarshini Raje Scindia, daughter, Ms. Chitrangada, son-in-law, Mr. Vikramaditya Singh, and sisters, Ms. Usha Raje, Ms. Vasundhra Raje and Ms. Yashodhra Raje.

Malkhan Singh, who was once a dacoit in the Chambal ravines, was one of the mourners who stood barefoot for hours to pay homage to the departed leader.

He said, ``we have suffered an irreparable loss'' and added that the people of Gwalior region would remember Mr. Scindia more for what he was as a human being rather than what he meant to all of us as a politician.

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