MAPUSA
The mortal remains of former Speaker and three-time Mapusa MLA Surendra Sirsat were consigned to flames with full State honours here on Tuesday after hundreds of mourners paid their last respect to the departed soul.
The funeral pyre was lit by his son, Omkar Sirsat, who performed the last rites at the Dattawadi cremation ground in Mapusa.
The 75-year-old leader breathed his last late Monday evening following multi-organ failure due to liver complications at a private hospital in Mapusa where he was admitted since Saturday last week.
The former speaker was accorded a State funeral. Sirsat’s tricolour-draped mortal remains were accorded a gun salute by the police personnel in presence of his son and other family members and State leaders.
A galaxy of leaders, including Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar, Ports Minister Michael Lobo, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, former CM Laxmikant Parsekar, GPCC President Girish Chodankar, AAP convenor Rahul Mhambre paid their last respects to the former Speaker.
BJP State President Sadanand Tanavade, Organising Secretary Satish Dhond, NCP President, Jose Philip, former union minister, Ramakant Khalap, Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, Tivim MLA, Nilkant Halarnkar, former ministers, Dayanand Narvekar and Ashok Salgaonkar were also present.
