Gujarat BJP refuses to pay funeral bills of their late leader
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New Delhi: Reports suggest that the Gujarat BJP refused to pay the bills of the grand funeral conducted for their late leader and former Chief Minister of the state, Vijay Rupani, who lost his life in the June 12 Air India flight AI171 crash. Rupani’s family alleged that the state BJP ditched the burden of paying the expenses and left the family to clear the bills.
On Sunday, Gujarat BJP president and Union minister C.R. Patil refused to answer questions by media persons regarding this while he was visiting Rajkot to attend a ‘Namotsav’ programme.
Three months after the funeral, which was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and many top BJP leaders, the matter of the funeral expenses came to light.
When asked about the Rupani funeral expenses, Patil brushed off the question, saying, “This is a Namotsav matter, I will definitely answer later,” the The New Indian Express report said.
Reports say that the family found out that the bills for the funeral were pending after traders who supplied materials such as flowers, tents, and other arrangements for the event turned up at their doorstep demanding payment. Since then, Rupani’s family has been clearing debts.
It is learned that certain powerful leaders in the party have insisted on denying payments for the funeral.
It is widely viewed that when Rupani’s family is still grieving his death, the additional financial burden put on them could tarnish the image of the saffron party ahead of crucial elections.