PATNA: A pall of gloom descended on Shahpur, the native village of Raghuvansh Prasad Singh in Vaishali district of Bihar, as the news of his demise reached. Hundreds of villagers gathered at Singh’s ancestral house with tears in their eyes.
“Bihar ka Gandhi chala gaya. Jo jia Gandhi ki tarah, aur raha bi Gandhi (Bihar’s Gandhi has left us; he lived like the Mahatma), wailed 75-year-old Ramadhar Singh. He was popularly known as ‘Braham Baba’ (a rural deity) because of his simplicity and righteousness, the villagers said.
“Of late, he would often say that the call from the Almighty may come any time. But we are proud of his legacy of socialism and principled personal and political life,” said his nephew Mukesh Kumar.
The state government announced that his last rites would be performed with full state honour on Monday on the bank of the River Ganga near his village. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep condolence, saying it was a personal loss.
Though Singh was miffed with the party and had resigned just three days ago, the RJD decided to keep the party flag down at its office for next seven days to mourn his death.
Jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad tweeted, “Dear Raghuvansh babu! What did you do? I told you the day before yesterday, you are not going anywhere. But you went so far. I am speechless. I am sad. Will miss you very much.”