By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Assam joined the rest of the country in the mourning for the demise of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and former Union Minister Abdul Rehman Antulay.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said Antulay was one of the stalwarts of the Congress, who worked relentlessly for the interest of the poor and common man. “He was known for his quick decision making and also introduced several innovative measures while in office. His death is an irreparable loss to the state of Maharashtra in particular and the country as a whole,” Gogoi said.
Antulay, 85, breathed his last on Tuesday at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital where he was admitted a few days ago. Antulay was Maharashtra’s first Muslim Chief Minister, from June 1980 to January 1982. He served as a Union Minister in 1995 and later during the UPA-I Government of Manmohan Singh.
The Chief Minister while extending his sincerest condolences to the bereaved family, prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul.
Several others in the state too have mourned the loss of a progressive soul. “We are saddened to hear the news of his death. He was one of the instrumental leaders of the country. I think he has done a lot for the betterment of the minorities of the country. I pray to the Almighty for his soul’s eternal peace,” said Hafiz Bashir Ahmed Qasimi, general secretary of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Guwahati.
Char Chapori Sahitya Parishad (CCSP), a literary body of the state, also remembered Antulay. “I had the opportunity to be present during one of his meetings in Guwahati. It’s a very sad hour for us to lose a leader like him. Not just for the minorities, he has extended his work for all in the country. He also worked for bridging the gap between the communities,” said Hafiz Ahmed, president of CCSP.