National flags at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament fly at half-mast after death of Ram Vilas Paswan

The tricolour at the Rashtrapati Bhawan and Parliament are flying at half-mast on Friday, following the death of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan

The Minister died on Thursday days after heart surgery. 

The death of the 74-year-old leader from Bihar was announced by his lawmaker son Chirag Paswan, who tweeted, “Papa, you are not with us anymore.”

Lok Janshakti Party leader and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan had undergone a heart surgery at a Delhi hospital on Sunday. “Papa, you are not with us anymore… but wherever you are, I know you will always be with me… Miss you papa,” 37-year-old Chirag Paswan tweeted.

The Union Home Ministry on Thursday said, “National flag will be flown at half-mast tomorrow in Delhi & capitals of states & UTs where it is regularly flown, & also on day of funeral (of Ram Vilas Paswan) at place where funeral takes place. It has also been decided that state funeral will be accorded.”

Also Read | Ram Vilas Paswan: A shrewd politician with a penchant for food

The death of Paswan comes a few days ahead of the Bihar elections and days after his son announced the parting of ways with JD(U), with whom the LJP had been in an alliance, along with the BJP, the past couple of years. Chirag while divorcing the JD(U), continued to be in alliance with BJP at the Centre.

Also Read | ‘Void in our nation’: PM Modi, others condole Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s death

Paswan was a member of the Rajya Sabha in his current Parliament tenure and had a political career of more than five decades. He was among the country’s most noted Dalit leaders and eight-time Lok Sabha member.