New Delhi: Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan would be accorded a state funeral, and Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad would represent the central government at the ceremony in Patna, an official statement and sources said on Friday.
Paswan (74) died at a private hospital here on Thursday evening after recently undergoing a heart surgery.
The funeral is likely to take place in Patna on Saturday. His mortal remains would be flown to Patna in a special aircraft, the sources said.
At a specially convened meeting of the Union Cabinet this morning, it was decided that Prasad would represent the government of India and the Union Council of Ministers at the funeral of the veteran leader, they said.
The Cabinet condoled the demise of the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and observed a two-minute silence in his memory, according to the statement.
"The Cabinet approved a state funeral to be accorded for Shri Ramvilas Paswan," the statement said.
The Cabinet also passed a resolution which said, "The Cabinet expresses profound sorrow at the sad demise of Shri Ramvilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. In his passing away, the nation has lost an eminent leader, a distinguished parliamentarian and an able administrator."
"The Cabinet extends its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on behalf of the Government and the entire nation," it added.
Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid their last tributes to Paswan at his residence here on Friday.
"Paid respects to late Shri Ram Vilas Paswan Ji. His unwavering commitment to social justice will always be remembered," the Prime Minister tweeted.
BJP leaders including Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Giriraj Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rajnath Singh, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Smriti Irani and Dharmendra Pradhan also paid their tributes to the departed leader.
Union minister and President of the Republican Party of India Ramdas Athawale also visited Paswan's home here to pay his respects.
Others who offered condolences and prayers at Paswan's residence included Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, BJP MPs Pragya Thakur, Anurag Thakur, and Ramesh Bidhuri, NCP President Sharad Pawar, RJD MP Misa Bharti and AAP MP Sanjay Singh.
Condoling the demise, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said the country has lost one of the greatest Dalit and socialist leaders in Paswan.
In a letter to Chirag Paswan, son of the late Union minister, Manmohan Singh described him as an important Dalit face in the central government.
"In his death our country has lost one of its greatest Dalit and socialist leaders, who always stood for the cause of the poor and downtrodden people of the society," Singh said in his condolences.
"Ram Vilas Paswan ji was a very important Dalit face in the central government, of many parties. I have very warm recollections of my association with Shri Paswan ji as a member of the UPA Government which I led in 2004.
"The veteran socialist leader, Paswan ji was also a very efficient administrator who worked very closely with me as Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, and also served as minister in various ministries," the former PM said.
Singh said Paswan was a mass leader which is evident from the fact that he won Parliament elections with a record majority from his constituency.
He said Paswan was also a leader who was loved and respected by all with whom he came into contact with, irrespective of their political leniency.
Rahul Gandhi, in a letter to Chirag Paswan, said he was deeply saddened by the sudden demise of his father. "We have lost a veteran leader who left a lasting imprint on politics and public service in both Bihar and our nation," he said.