Sibal attends office a day after mother’s death

NEW DELHI - Personal bereavement did not keep Union Minister Kapil Sibal from the call of duty.

Sibal lost his mother, Kailash Sibal, in Chandigarh Sunday morning. He went to Chandigarh, peformed the last rites and was back to work on Monday to address the scheduled telecom ministry press conference on the 2G spectrum scam.

“Mr. Sibal’s mother died Sunday morning, he was back in Delhi at the earliest on Monday,” a senior official from his office told IANS.

Sibal holds three portfolios - human resource development, earth sciences and communications and information technology. The latter was given to him after A. Raja’s resignation earlier this month.

The earth sciences portfolio was given to him Nov 10 after Prithviraj Chavan took over as Maharashtra chief minister.

“He could not attend an early morning HRD press conference (on Monday), but the telecom press conference was crucial as it was on the 2G spectrum scam, so the minister was back,” the official said, requesting he be not identified.

“He is in his office today (Tuesday) as well. He will go to Chandigarh for his mother’s ‘chautha’ which is Wednesday and be back by evening, as per schedule,” the official added.

Sibal’s father, Hira Lal Sibal, is still alive. His parents were married for 76 years.