Congress leaders mourn passing of senior leader Shivraj Patil

Senior Congress leaders expressed deep grief on Friday following the death of Shivraj Patil, former Union Home Minister and 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who passed away at his residence in Latur, Maharashtra. He was 90. Family sources said he died after a brief illness.

Patil is survived by his son Shailesh Patil, daughter-in-law Archana, a BJP leader, and two granddaughters.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi took to social media platform X, saying, “The news of the passing of former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil ji is deeply saddening and an irreparable loss to the party. His dedication to public service and his contributions to the nation will always be remembered. My condolences are with the entire Patil family, his well-wishers, and supporters in this hour of grief.”

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed sorrow, calling Patil “an honoured senior colleague with whom I shared a close bond and many cherished memories.”

He added, “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. His demise is a profound loss for the Congress Party and for all who admired his integrity, composure and commitment to public service. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and countless supporters. May they find strength in this difficult hour, and may his soul rest in peace.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed the sentiments, writing on X: “The news of the passing of senior Congress leader, former Union Home Minister, and former Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Shivraj Patil ji is deeply saddening. May God grant peace to the departed soul. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family and well-wishers. Shri Patil ji held responsibility for several important departments, including the Ministry of Defence, and served the public for decades. His passing is an irreparable loss to the Congress family.”

Shivraj Patil had a distinguished political career spanning several decades. He served as India’s Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008 and was the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996. He later served as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh from 2010 to 2015.

Born on 12 October 1935, Patil began his political journey as municipal council chief of Latur and was elected as an MLA in the early 1970s. He went on to win the Latur Lok Sabha seat seven times, losing only once in 2004 to BJP’s Rupatai Patil Nilangekar.

Known for his dignified conduct, Patil was respected across party lines and was noted for never engaging in personal attacks, either publicly or privately.

His passing marks the end of an era for the Congress party, which remembers him as a committed public servant and a statesman of integrity.

With IANS inputs