Rajnath Singh leaves for Havana to pay last respects to Fidel Castro

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday left for Cuban capital Havana to pay his last respects to the country's former president and revolutionary leader Fidel Castro who passed away on Friday. 

"Leaving New Delhi for Havana. Shall attend the funeral of towering Cuban leader Fidel Castro with the Indian delegation &pay tributes to him," the Home Minister tweeted today. 

Leaving New Delhi for Havana. Shall attend the funeral of towering Cuban leader Fidel Castro with the Indian delegation &pay tributes to him

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) November 29, 2016

Rajnath is among the various world leaders who will attend the mass commemorative event at Revolution Square in the city. An Indian delegation is accompanying the Home Minister. 

The week-long commemoration began on Monday at the Square where thousands of people paid their respects to the last leader. 

Simultaneous 21-gun salutes were fired to mark the beginning of the commemoration in Havana and the south-eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, from where Castro launched the revolution in 1953. 

The Communist leader, who led a revolution in 1959 and ruled the Carribean island for half a century died a decade after stepping down because of his poor health and relinquishing power to his brother Raul Castro. 

He was cremated on Saturday.