Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's ashes were immersed in Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri Ghat by his daughter Namita Bhattacharya in the presence of various prominent dignitaries on Sunday.
Vajpayee's daughter Namita Bhattacharya and granddaughter Niharika collected the ashes early morning today from New Delhi's Smriti Sthal after which they reached Haridwar. The 'Kalash Yatra' procession which was organised by the BJP was started from the Shanti Kunj Ashram in Haridwar to the Har Ki Pauri Ghat, covering a distance of around five kilometres.
Saffron party's president Amit Shah, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat and chief ministers of other states participated in the yatra.
The UP government confirmed that the ashes will be immersed in 29 rivers, including Ganga in Varanasi, Allahabad and Kanpur; Gomti in Lucknow and Barabanki, Yamuna and Chambal in Agra; Ghagra and Rapti in Gorakhpur; and Hindon and Kali Nadi in Baghpat.
"Atalji was not just a leader but an ideologue of the party. He brought BJP to power. Constructing memorial for Atalji would be our tribute to him," UP BJP spokesperson Harish Chandra Srivastava was quoted as saying by TOI. Meanwhile, UP CM Yogi announced the construction of four memorials in the name of the charismatic leader.
Further, he was cremated with full state honour at Smriti Sthal in the national capital on Friday.
