*Congress Leader Suraj Hegde Given Final Farewell with State Honours*
*Final Tribute Paid by Rahul Gandhi*
*CM D.K. Shivakumar Hands National Flag to Shilpa Suraj Hegde*
*Bengaluru, June 9:* A loyal Congress party worker who prioritized the organization over power, AICC Secretary and Vice-Chairman of the State Guarantee Implementation Committee, Suraj Hegde, was given an emotional final farewell with state honours on Tuesday.
Congress party leaders including Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, AICC General Secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, CM D.K. Shivakumar, KPCC President B.K. Hariprasad, and former CM and CWC member Siddaramaiah paid their final tributes to Suraj Hegde, who passed away due to a heart attack on Sunday night.
Rahul Gandhi paid his last respects to Suraj Hegde’s mortal remains and offered floral tributes. Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders consoled and comforted Suraj Hegde’s wife Shilpa, sons Samrudh and Vishrut, and other family members. Full state honours were accorded near Suraj Hegde’s residence.
The police gun squad paid tribute by firing three rounds into the air. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar then handed the national flag to Suraj’s wife Shilpa, and consoled her. Becoming emotional during the handing over of the flag, D.K. Shivakumar comforted her, saying the entire party shares in her sorrow and that they stand with her family.
Earlier, CM D.K. Shivakumar, along with former CM Siddaramaiah, received Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at Kempegowda International Airport, who had arrived to pay his final respects. After the final tribute, they returned to the airport to see him off.
