Manmohan Singh condoles death of veteran Congress leader Mahabir Prasad

NEW DELHI - The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday condoled the passing away of former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader Mahabir Prasad, who died here on Monday.

In a condolence message to the late leader’s daughter Vimla Devi, Dr Singh recalled Prasad’s commitment to public good and described him as a nationalist and a leader whose contribution to the cause of the underpriviledged will be long remembered.

“It is with great sadness and a sense of personal loss that I learnt of the passing away of your father, Mahabir Prasad. His life was one of commitment to the public good,” he said.

“Mahabir Prasadji served our country and people with hard work and dedication in various capacities. He was the Governor of Haryana in the nineties. Later he served as the Union Cabinet Minister for Small Scale Industries and Agro and Rural Industries in the first UPA government,” he added

“An educationist, Mahabir Prasadji taught for 34 years in the Department of Geography, Gandhi Inter College , Mahuapur, Gorakhpur . He also contributed handsomely to the promotion of the National language Hindi,” he said.

Dr. Singh further said: “We have lost a nationalist and a leader whose contribution to the cause of the underprivileged will be remembered for a very long time.”

“On this sad occasion, I convey my heartfelt condolences to you and other members of the family, his friends, colleagues and admirers,” he added.

Prasad, 71, was not keeping well for some time and had kept himself away from the politics after last Lok Sabha elections in 2009, which he lost from Bansgaon seat in Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)