Haryana: In a tragic incident, former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ratan Lal Kataria passed away in the PGI Hospital in Chandigarh on Thursday, May 18. He was 72 years old and survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. According to reports, he was undergoing treatment for pneumonia.
Haryana CM, Governor mourn Kataria's demise
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Speaker Gian Chand Gupta mourned the demise of Kataria, who will be cremated with state honours in Panchkula later in the day.
"I am deeply saddened by the demise of former Union Minister of State and MP from Ambala Mr. Ratan Lal Kataria. He always raised his voice in the Parliament for the benefit of the society and the progress of the people of Haryana. His departure is an irreparable loss to politics. May God give place to the departed soul in his holy feet and give strength to the family in this difficult time. Om Shanti!" Khattar wrote on Twitter.
Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta also expressed his condolences and termed Kataria's death as an "irreparable loss for the party workers."
"Received the sad news of the demise of Shri Ratan Lal Kataria, senior BJP leader, former Union Minister of State, MP from Ambala Lok Sabha. The death of respected Kataria ji is an irreparable loss for all of us workers and the BJP organization. May God give place to the departed soul at his holy feet and give strength to the bereaved family members in difficult circumstances. Om Shanti," he tweeted.
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Who was Ratan Lal Kataria?
Kataria was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for over a half-century. He was elected thrice as the MP from Haryana's Ambala constituency. After two years of stint, Kataria had stepped down as Union Minister of State in July 2021.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Kataria had defeated incumbent Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Kumari Selja from the Ambala (Reserved) seat by securing 57 per cent votes with a huge margin of about 3.42 lakh votes.
Before this, he was elected as an MP from the Ambala Lok Sabha seat in 1999 and 2014. He faced defeat twice from Kumari Selja in the 2004 and 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
(With IANS inputs)
