The last rites of veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Shivraj Patil were performed with full state honours on Saturday in his home district of Latur. This marked a heartfelt farewell to one of India’s most experienced parliamentarians.
Senior political leaders from across party lines attended the funeral. Notable figures included Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, and Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre.
A leading figure of the Lingayat community, Patil was buried at his farm in Varvanti village, about six kilometres from Latur. Following traditional Lingayat customs, he was laid to rest in a seated, meditative posture. This ritual embodies the Lingayat belief that after death, the soul merges directly with Lord Shiva, thereby negating the need for cremation.
Before the burial, Patil received a ceremonial gun salute. Om Birla laid a wreath on his mortal remains, alongside Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal and Latur Lok Sabha MP Shivaji Kolge.
Patil, aged 90, passed away on Friday in Latur after a brief illness. His political career spanned over five decades, witnessing him take on several pivotal roles in the Union government, including the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Union Home Minister.
His public life began as a member of the Latur Municipal Corporation in 1967. Subsequently, he served two terms in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly between 1972 and 1980. From 1980 onwards, he represented the Latur Lok Sabha constituency for seven consecutive terms, successfully securing victories in 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, and 1999.
Patil first joined the Indira Gandhi-led administration as Minister of State for Defence from 1980 to 1982 and later assumed independent charge of the Commerce Ministry in 1982. Over the years, he managed vital portfolios, including Science and Technology, Atomic Energy, Electronics, Space, and Ocean Development.
During the Rajiv Gandhi administration, Patil continued his ascent, overseeing roles in Personnel, Defence Production, Civil Aviation, and Tourism. In 2004, he took over the Union Home Ministry, serving until November 30, 2008, when he resigned over security failures during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
From 2010 to 2015, Patil served as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh.
Patil was admired for his dedication to parliamentary ethics. A remarkable episode from March 1979 serves as an example of his integrity. Amid unverified reports of Gandhian leader Jayaprakash Narayan’s death, numerous leaders, including Prime Minister Morarji Desai, expressed condolences in Parliament. However, Patil, then Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, insisted on confirming the news. He adjourned the House, contacted Narayan’s doctors for verification, and confirmed that he was alive. The Assembly subsequently passed a resolution wishing Narayan a long life. Narayan later passed away in October 1979.
Shivraj Patil’s death marks the end of an era characterized by parliamentary decorum, administrative expertise, and unwavering political integrity.
