PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy left for Rameswaram on Wednesday along with his cabinet colleagues to pay their last respects to Dr Kalam. It is not clear whether the Chief Minister will take part in the funeral on Thursday. “I will decide about it (participating in funeral) after reaching Rameswaram,” Rangasamy told reporters at the Assembly complex.
Meanwhile, the government has declared July 30 as public holiday in view of the cremation of former president A P J Abdul Kalam at Rameswaram. All educational institutions and government and private establishments in the Union territory would be closed as per the Negotiable Instruments Act, said an official press release. All shops and other business establishments will also remain closed till the burial of Kalam is over. According to Puducherry Traders Federation (PTF) around 30,000 shops in all the four regions of the UT will remain closed. A prayer meeting has been organised on Beach road as a mark of respect to Dr Kalam.
The CENTAC counselling for engineering seats has been postponed to August 3, according to a press release.