Senior Congress Leader and former Union Home Minister Buta Singh passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 86. The senior leader’s son Arvindar Singh Lovely Sidhu took to social media to inform about his father’s passing away.
In the post, Sidhu says, “My father Shri Buta Singh Ji passed away this morning. May Waheguru Ji bless his soul,” Sidhu’s post (originally in Hindi) read. Singh was in coma since October last year after suffering a brain haemorrhage and he took his last breath at AIIMS Delhi.
Singh was born in Jalandhar district in British India and before his foray into politics, Singh was a journalist. He fought his first election as a member of the Akali Dal but later joined the Indian National Congress when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Indian Prime Minister. Singh had been very close to the Gandhi family.
During his political career, Singh had held many important portfolios. He was the chairman of Asian Games Special Organising Committee in 1981-82. During PM Indira Gandhi’s era, Singh was the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Sports Minister from 1982 to 1984. When Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister, Singh was made the Agricultural Minister and Rural Development Minister from 1984-86 and served as the Union Home Minister from 1986 to 1989. He has also served as the Governor of Bihar from 2004-2006 and he was the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes from 2007-2010.
Meanwhile, tributes flowed in for the departed Congress leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Singh an experienced administrator and the voice for the welfare of poor people.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also paid tribute to the late Union Home Minister saying that he devoted his entire life for the service of the country and well-being of the people.
President Ram Nath Kovind along with many senior leaders also paid their tributes to the late Congress leader.
