Raigad (Maharashtra) : Thousands of people Wednesday bade a tearful adieu to former union minister and Maharashtra’s first Muslim chief minister Abdul Rehman Antulay, whose last rites were performed in his native village Ambet in Raigad district.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Education Minister Vinod Tawde, union Industry Minister Anant Geete, Congress leader and former union minister Oscar Fernandes, former chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Narayan Rane, and many others attended the funeral conducted with full state honours.
Antulay, 85, passed away Tuesday following prolonged illness at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, and his body was brought to his birthplace Ambet in the Konkan region.
Earlier Wednesday morning, the Maharashtra cabinet paid tributes to Antulay in a condolence motion.
The Maharashtra government has declared a three-day state mourning in his memory.
Other prominent people who attended the funeral were state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre, Maharashtra legislative council Chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare, Congress leader in the assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Congress legislator Sanjay Dutt, besides members of the Antulay family.