PM Manmohan Singh pays homage to IK Gujral

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today paid homage to former Prime Minister I K Gujral, remembering him as a "great patriot" and a "great scholar statesman".

Gujral's body has been kept at his 5 Janpath residence here for the public to pay respects. Leaders cutting across party lines also visited his residence to pay their homage.

92-year-old Gujral died at a private hospital in nearby Gurgaon after a brief illness yesterday.

The Prime Minister and his wife arrived at his residence this morning and paid floral tributes.

In his message, Singh said, "In the sad demise of Gujral, our country has lost a freedom fighter, a great patriot and a great scholar statesman. I join the nation in expressing our grief and sorrow at the demise of great son of India."

Union Ministers A K Antony, Anand Sharma and Farooq Abdullah, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, BJP's Ananth Kumar and LJP's Ramvilas Paswan were among others who visited the residence.

Gujral will be cremated in Smriti Sthal later in the day.