Honouring Oommen Chandy’s Wish, Ex-Kerala CM Laid To Rest Without State Honours. Rahul Pays Last Respects

Oommen Chandy was buried in a specially prepared tomb next to departed priests at his village church in Puthuppally.

Rahul Gandhi along with other senior Congress leaders pay final respects to Oommen Chandy.

Source : Twitter

New Delhi: Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy was laid to rest without any state honours on Thursday, as per his wish, Onmanorama reported. He was buried in a specially prepared tomb next to departed priests at his village church in Puthuppally. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi waited at the church to pay his last respects to the departed leader.

Chandy’s request was communicated to the Kerala government by Mariyamma, his widow, in writing. “Before leaving for Germany for medical treatment, my father had told my mother that he should not be accorded state honours for his funeral. That was his last wish and we have to fulfil it. My mother has communicated the same to the state government,” his son Chandy Oommen told a local TV channel, as per a report by Hindustan Times.

Notably, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Malayalam movie stars and senior political leaders cutting across party lines paid their last respects to the former Chief Minister after his mortal remains reached Kottayam earlier in the day.

Oommen Chandy's final journey had begun on Wednesday around 7.20 am from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram where he had spent a significant part of his life during his long political career as a legislator, leader of the Congress party and chief minister. However, the journey was slowed down by a massive crowd of mourners who thronged the route taken by the hearse.

The entire country and millions of his supporters bid farewell to the people's leader, Oommen Chandy ji.

Shri @RahulGandhi along with senior Congress leaders pay final respects to the beloved son of Kerala. pic.twitter.com/Lyrdn5AWZV

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 20, 2023

While the over 24-hour delay in the hearse reaching Kottayam forced the organisers to hurry along with the paying of tributes, police assured everyone would get an opportunity to see the departed leader.

As his mortal remains reached Kottayam, Congress workers and supporters shouted slogans like "he (Chandy) has not died, he lives in us", "there is none other like him" and "we have no other leader".

After the people paid their tributes, the body was taken to his home in Puthuppally.