PM Narendra Modi condoles demise of MP Praveen Rashtrapal

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed pain over the demise of Rajya Sabha MP Praveen Rashtrapal whom he described as a trade unionist who remained sensitive to concerns and aspirations of the poor.

76-year-old Rashtrapal, a Congress member of the Upper House from Modi's home state Gujarat, died here this morning after suffering a massive heart attack.

"Pained by the demise of Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat Shri Praveen Rashtrapal. My thoughts are with his family in this hour of grief," the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

"As a trade unionist & subsequently as a leader, Shri Rashtrapal remained sensitive to concerns & aspirations of the poor & marginalised," Modi added.

An AICC Secretary, who was also in charge of Uttar Pradesh affairs, Rashtrapal was associated with the trade union movement of Income Tax employees in particular and the Central Government employees. He was an Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax before he took a plunge into politics.

He was a elected to the 13th Lok Sabha (1999-2004). He was a member from the Upper House from April 2006 to April 2012 and was re-elected in April 2012.

Rashtrapal was a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G scam in the previous Lok Sabha.

Following his demise, Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day today.