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Former Union Home Minister and Congress Shivraj Patil, following a brief period of illness, passed away at his home town Latur in Maharashtra on Friday morning. He was 90.
He is survived by his son Shailesh Patil, daughter-in-law Archana, a BJP leader, and two granddaughters.
President Droupadi Murmu took to X to condole the former Minister’s passing. “In the demise of senior political leader Shri Shivraj Patil Ji, we have lost a prominent public figure. During his long public life, he held many important positions, including those of Lok Sabha Speaker, Union Minister, Governor and longstanding Member of Parliament. My heartfelt condolences to his family, well-wishers and admirers,” Ms. Murmu said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to the social media platform X to offer his condolences to the departed leader’s family.
“Saddened by the passing of Shri Shivraj Patil Ji. He was an experienced leader, having served as MLA, MP, Union Minister, Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly as well as the Lok Sabha during his long years in public life,”Mr Modi said, adding, “He was passionate about contributing to the welfare of society. I have had many interactions with him over the years, the most recent one being when he came to my residence a few months ago”.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge too recalled his close association with the former Home Minister and described him as a man of great integrity.
“He was an honoured senior colleague with whom I shared a close bond and many cherished memories. A statesman of great dignity, Shri Patil served the nation with distinction, holding key Constitutional and Parliamentary responsibilities and contributing significantly to India’s Democratic institutions,”Mr Kharge said.
“His demise is a profound loss for the Congress Party and for all who admired his integrity, composure and commitment to public service,” the Congress chief added.
Terming his death as an irreparable loss to the party, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said, “His dedication to public service and his contributions to the nation will always be remembered”.
Home Minister Amit Shah also offered his condolences and described Mr Patil as “a man of vast knowledge”.
Starting his political career as the head of the Municipal Council of Latur, Mr. Patil went on to occupy high constitutional offices, including that of the Lok Sabha Speaker. He served as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha between 1991 and 1996.
Before coming to the Lok Sabha, he has served as a legislator of the Maharashtra Assembly in the early 1970s.
He served as the Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008, a tenure that ended in a major controversy soon after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.
Known for his immaculate sense of dressing, Mr. Patil came under severe attack from the BJP-led Opposition then for multiple change of dress on a single day while inspecting the sites of the terror attacks in Mumbai.
The Congress-led UPA government had to remove him as the Home Minister as a damage control. Mr Patil, however, didn’t express disappointment with his party or the then-opposition for personally targeting him over the Mumbai terror attacks.
Later, he was made the Governor of Punjab and served as Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh between 2010 and 2015.
Known to be a dignified politician, Mr. Patil was regarded as a well-read and articulate politician by his peers, with meticulous study and articulate presentation. Fluent in Marathi, English, and Hindi, he also had an excellent grasp of constitutional matters, making him a much-respected parliamentarian of his time.
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