Shivraj Patil’s last rites held with state honours as Om Birla and Kharge attend

The last rites of veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Shivraj Patil were performed with full state honours in his home district of Latur, Maharashtra, on Saturday, attended by several top political leaders and dignitaries.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge , Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth , former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan , Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre , Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal , and Latur MP Shivaji Kolge were among those present. Birla laid a wreath on Patil’s mortal remains, and the ceremony included a gun salute in his honour.

A prominent member of the Lingayat community , Patil was buried in his farm at Varvanti village , six km from Latur, in a seated, meditative posture. This ritual reflects the Lingayat belief that the soul immediately unites with Lord Shiva, making cremation unnecessary.

Patil, 90, passed away on Friday following a brief illness. In a political career spanning over five decades, he held numerous positions in the Central government, including Union Home Minister, Minister of Defence, Commerce, Science & Technology, Civil Aviation, Tourism , and Speaker of the Lok Sabha . He also served as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh from 2010 to 2015.

He began his career in Latur Municipal Corporation in 1967 , was elected MLA from Latur (1972–1980) for two terms, and served as Lok Sabha MP from Latur for seven consecutive terms between 1980 and 1999. Notably, he resigned as Home Minister in 2008, taking moral responsibility for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks .

Patil was also known for his administrative diligence. In March 1979, as Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, he verified false reports of Gandhian leader Jayaprakash Narayan’s death , ensuring accuracy before the Assembly offered its condolences.