Bereaved Modi opens train link, chairs meet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the last rites of his mother Heeraben, who died early morning at the age of 99, and returned to work hours later, flagging off a key train link in West Bengal and chairing a meeting of the National Ganga Council via video conference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the last rites of his mother Heeraben, who died early morning at the age of 99, and returned to work hours later, flagging off a key train link in West Bengal and chairing a meeting of the National Ganga Council via video conference.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi carries the body of his mother Heeraben at a crematorium in Gandhinagar, India, December 30, 2022. (REUTERS)

Heeraben was undergoing treatment at the UN Mehta hospital in Ahmedabad and passed away at 3.30am, said a medical bulletin. She is survived by five sons and a daughter. Her last rites were performed at a crematorium in Gandhinagar around 9.30am in the presence of Modi, his brothers, and other family members.

“A glorious century rests at the feet of God... In Maa, I have always felt that trinity, which contains the journey of an ascetic, the symbol of a selfless Karmayogi and a life committed to values. When I met her on her 100th birthday, she said one thing, which is always remembered that work with intelligence, live life with purity, that is, work with intelligence and live life with purity,” Modi tweeted.

Heeraben lived in Raysan village in Gandhinagar with the PM’s younger brother Pankaj. On Friday morning, the Prime Minister first went to her residence in Raysan, and then carried the bier with her mortal remains to the Muktidham crematorium in Gandhinagar.

By 11.30am, Modi was back at work. Through video conference, he flagged off West Bengal’s first Vande Bharat Express between Howrah and Jalpaiguri, as well as the Joka-Taratala stretch of the Kolkata Metro.

“I was supposed to be with you all today. But because of personal reasons I have not been able to come. For this, I want yours, and Bengal’s forgiveness. Today is an opportunity to salute the sacred land of Bengal and the historic city of Kolkata,” he said.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was at the event, condoled Heeraben’s death. “Today is a sad day for you (Modi) personally and it is a great loss … There is no substitute for mother. Your mother is our mother also,” she said. “You were supposed to come to West Bengal but because of the demise of your mother you couldn’t reach. But you have reached virtually. I would request to make the program cut short and take rest because you are coming after cremation,” she added.

Modi invoked Vande Mataram, the song on which the name of the train is based on, and the birthplace of its creator, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

“Today’s Vande Bharat train was launched from the land where Vande Mataram slogan was coined. The launch date of December 30 is significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolour in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on this day in 1943... In the 21st century, for rapid development of the country, growth and reform of railways is essential. A nationwide campaign is underway to transform railways,” he added. He also laid the foundation stone of projects worth ₹7,800 crore, including the redevelopment of the New Jalpaiguri Railway station, and four other railway projects.

In the afternoon, Modi chaired the second meeting of the National Ganga Council which was attended by the chief ministers of Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. The PM announced that work on five new schemes, such as the Adi Ganga project to clean the river, worth ₹600 crore will commence from Friday. The National Ganga Council is responsible for the prevention of pollution and the rejuvenation of the Ganga and its tributaries — a priority for the central government and a poll promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“The entire world is looking at India with hope and expectations. Every citizen of the country must dedicate oneself to the service of the nation,” Modi said.

At the meeting, CM Banerjee raised the issues of severe erosion next to the Ganga in the districts of Murshidabad and Malda, and asked for the Ganga Sagar mela, which is held every year in the middle of January in West Bengal, to be given the National Heritage tag.

Modi returned to Delhi on Friday evening.

Tributes and condolences poured in from across the world and cutting across political lines. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wrote, “PM Modi, I would like to express my deepest condolences for the passing of your beloved mother. May her soul rest in peace.”

Newly appointed Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said, “At this hour of grief, I express heartfelt condolences to PM Modi ji and the family members and pray for eternal peace of the departed soul.”

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also sent his condolences. “There is no greater loss than losing one’s mother. My condolences to Prime Minister @narendramodi on the passing away of his mother,” he tweeted.

President Droupadi Murmu said that the 100 years of Heeraben’s struggle were a symbol of “Indian ideals”. “Modi imbibed the spirit of Matridevobhav and the values of Heeraba in his life. I pray for the peace of the holy soul,” she said.

Union home minister Amit Shah said Heeraben’s struggle to sustain her family despite hardships was an inspiration, and her life of sacrifice would live on. “The whole country is standing with Prime Minister Modi and his family in this time of grief. The prayers of crores of people are with you,” Shah said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The news of the demise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother Heera Ba is extremely sad. At this difficult time, I extend my deepest condolences and love to him and his family.”

Heeraben was born in June 1923 in Mehsana’s Visnagar, about 13 kilometres away from Modi’s hometown of Vadnagar. On June 18, the day she entered the 100th year of her life, Modi described her as “simple as she was extraordinary”.

In an emotional ode, Modi had said that Heeraben was forced to grow up early, having lost her mother early to the Spanish flu epidemic. “Mother did not have much of a childhood due to these struggles — she was forced to grow beyond her age. She was the eldest child in her family and became the eldest daughter-in-law after marriage. In her childhood, she used to take care of the entire family and manage all the chores,” he wrote in a blog.

“After marriage too, she picked up all these responsibilities. Despite the onerous responsibilities and everyday struggles, Mother held the entire family together with calm and fortitude,” he added.