Thousands bid farewell to 'dharti putra' MSY at Saifai

Tipu Lits Pyre At Spot Where Mulayam's Dad Was Cremated

- Faiz Siddiqui

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was cremated with full state honours at his native village of Saifai in UP's Etawah district on Tuesday afternoon. His teary-eyed son and party chief Akhilesh Yadav lit the pyre at the very spot where Mulayam's father has cremated years ago, signalling the symbolic merging of the 'Dharti Putra' into his birth earth.

"Netaji, Dharti Putra Amar Rahen" (Long live, son of the soil Netaji), "Jiska Jalwa Kayam Hai Uska Naam Mulayam Hai" (The one who will keep shining is Mulayam). Deafening slogans rang out the moment Akhilesh, wearing a 'janeu' (sacred thread) over his black jacket, took the flaming torch to the pyre on a platform built behind a Lord Hanuman idol. He and his wife Dimple Yadav did the pre-funeral rituals.