Sea of humanity at Mulayam Singh Yadav's funeral

Huge crowds were seen in Saifai and all roads were completely blocked as people jostled with each other for a glimpse of the late leader

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Prasad Maurya offer condolences to Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav during the funeral of his father and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, at Saifai in Etawah district. Credit: PTI Photo

Former Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was on Tuesday cremated with state honours at his native village of Saifai in Mainpuri district in the presence of senior leaders from various political parties.

A large number of people, many from hundreds of miles away, who had turned up at the cremation ground, chanted 'Netaji Amar Rahen' (long live Mulayam) as his son and Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav lit the pyre.

UP Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak, several UP ministers, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu, Congress leader and a candidate for the post of party president Mallikarjun Kharge and top leaders of the SP were present when Mulayam's mortal remains were consigned to flames at the Numaish Mela cremation ground in Saifai.

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Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Congress leader Sachin Pilot also attended the funeral of Mulayam.

Reliance chairman Anil Ambani, mega star Amitabh Bachchan's wife and SP MP Jaya Bachchan and her son Abhishek Bachchan were also present there. As Akhilesh broke down during the funeral, Maurya and Pathak and other leaders were seen consoling him. Almost all the members of Mulayam's political clan were present at the funeral.

Earlier Mulayam's body was taken from his residence to the makeshift 'pandal' (a shelter erected of upright poles to support a roof) at the Mela ground and kept there for the leaders and others to pay their last respect to the SP founder, who had breathed his last at a private hospital at Gurugram after protracted illness on Monday.

Thousands of people lined the streets and chanted slogans hailing Mulayam while his body was being taken to the 'pandal' on a specially designed chariot. People were seen climbing the trees to have a glimpse of the body. SP workers were seen crying as the vehicle carrying the mortal remains of Mulayam passed by.

A three-day state mourning has been declared in UP.