Parliament pays tributes to KR Narayanan

     New Delhi: The opening day of the month-long winter session of Parliament was adjourned on Wednesday as a tribute to former President KR Narayanan and sitting Lok Sabha member Prakashbapu V Patil. The Houses also mourned the death of former members including Madhu Dandavate, HKL Bhagat, S Ahmed Mehdi and T Thirthagiri Gounder. Paying tributes to KR Narayanan, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said that with the death of the former President earlier this month, the country has lost an eminent scholar, a seasoned diplomat, a statesman, an able administrator and a distinguished parliamentarian. Narayanan, he said, was also a prolific writer who had authored articles and books on social, political, international and literary subjects. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said that apart from an ardent champion of secularism and constitutional propriety, Narayanan was also a friend of the underprivileged and in his death, the country had lost a sagacious statesman, whose life would remain an inspiration to all. Prime Minister Manamohan Singh, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and other Cabinet ministers and the leader of opposition in Rajya also paid their homage to him.