New Delhi: The Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government has declared a state holiday on Wednesday and three days of state mourning following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Fadnavis informed that a decision on Pawar’s last rites will be taken after consultation with his family. “Today we have declared a state holiday, and three days of state mourning have also been announced. This is a completely irreparable loss for the whole state of Maharashtra,” he said.
Banks Closed Today?
Following the government’s announcement, some offices, municipalities and public sector units remained closed in respect of the tragedy. Although, it is important to note that the banks are not required to be closed during state mourning. However, the local administrations issue an advisory to check the notifications at the branch level. Historical precedents indicate that almost 70 percent of the districts have suspended public services during high-profile state mourning notifications despite being operational.
Ajit Pawar’s Last Rites:
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, 66, passed away on Wednesday in a plane crash in Baramati. The last rites of the Maharashtra deputy chief minister are slated to be held on Thursday, 29 January, at 11 am at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit and other senior political figures are expected to be in attendance.
Three days of mourning has been announced in Maharashtra by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and national flags across the state will be flying in half-mast to honour its longest serving Deputy Chief Minister.
