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Mumbai: Veteran Congressman from Maharashtra, ex- Union home minister and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha Shivraj Patil passed away at his home town Latur on Friday morning after a brief illness his family sources said. He was 90. He is survived by his son Sailesh Patil, daughter-in-law Archana and two grand daughters. The funeral will be held at Latur on Saturday.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others condoled the death.
Always impeccably dressed, Patil was a hardcore loyalist of the Gandhi dynasty because of which he was given the sensitive post of Union home minister.
He commenced his political career as president of the Latur municipality from 1966 and 1970 and was later elected twice to the state assembly where he was elected first as the deputy Speaker and later the Speaker.
His popularity can be gauged from the fact that he won the Latur Lok Sabha seat seven times and was the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996. In the 2004 poll he was defeated by Rupa Patil Nilangekar of the BJP. Rupa was related to former Congress chief minister Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar.
Patil was the Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008, when he resigned after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. He came in for sharp criticism for appearing in three different suits on the night of the 26/11 attacks in which several persons were gunned down by Pakistani terrorists. The controversy was a big blot on his long political career.
The second time when he courted controversy was while launching a book in 2022 he claimed that the ``jihad” was present not only in Islam, but also in Hindu and Christian religious texts.
Fadnavis described Patil as a ``distinguished parliamentarian and statesman."
As Lok Sabha Speaker he initiated several innovative parliamentary practices, earning respect across the political spectrum, the CM said. "Renowned for his integrity, deep knowledge and firm leadership, Patil commanded a place of esteem in Indian politics. His death has created a void in the country's political and social leadership," he added.
Former CM Ashok Chavan, who hails from neighbouring Nanded, described Patil was a father figure to him. He shared a brotherly bond with (my father) Shankarrao Chavan, and for many years, our families shared a deep relationship."
NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule mourned Patil's death, saying his passing marks the loss of a leader with vast parliamentary experience.
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