Mumbai: Ashes of late union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh will be taken across the state to enable Congress workers to pay their respects before being immersed on August 30, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre said on Monday.
Deshmukh (67) died of a serious liver ailment at a Chennai Hospital on August 14.
The ashes will be brought to Mumbai on August 27 and a joint meeting comprising the state executive, district presidents, ministers and state office-bearers will be held where a condolence resolution will be passed, he said.
"The urns containing the late leader`s ashes will be handed over to 63 district unit chiefs who will carry them to their respective districts. The urns will be kept at the district party offices on August 30 and immersed in nearby waters after performing rituals on the same day," Thakre told reporters.
In Mumbai, the urn will be kept at the Azad Maidan office of MPCC on August 30 and immersed at Banganga water tank in Walkeshwar of South Mumbai.
Meanwhile, replying to queries on the August 11 violence at a protest rally in South Mumbai, Thakre said the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Shiv Sena are indulging in "politics of hate" over the issue.
Rejecting the demand for Home Minister RR Patil`s resignation as sought by MNS, Thakre said the Opposition should come up with "constructive" suggestions to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
"The state Congress has already given a letter to the government asking for strict action against perpetrators of violence and ensuring that such things do not happen again," he added.
PTI
