Mandi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to independent India's first voter, Shyam Saran Negi who passed away on Saturday and said that Negi will inspire every citizen of the country, especially the youth to perform their duty of casting vote in the elections.
Negi passed away Saturday morning at his native place in Himachal Pradesh's Kalpa, days after he cast his last vote in the 14th Assembly elections of the state.
The Prime Minister recalled the country's first voter and said that he performed his duty of casting a vote before his demise.
"When I was on my way to Himachal, I got the sad news of the passing away of the first voter of independent India, Shyam Saran Negi, who belonged to Kinnaur. The 106-year-old Negi had cast a vote for over 30 times in his entire life. Not only this, he had also cast his vote on November 2 in the Assembly elections through postal ballot. He performed his duty by casting a vote before his demise. This will always inspire every citizen especially the youth of our country.
I bow my head in tribute to him with an emotional heart," PM Modi said addressing his first public meeting in the poll-bound state. Negi had cast his first vote in the independent country on October 23, 1951, in the Kalpa polling station, becoming the first voter in the country, and he cast his vote for the 34th time on November 2 this year which became his last, a feat that was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"This is commendable and should serve as an inspiration for the younger voters to take part in the elections and strengthen our democracy," PM Modi had tweeted. The 106-year-old had voted on November 2 through a postal ballot.
Chief Minister Jairam Thakur consoled Negi's demise and said that the memory of the first voter of the country casting his last vote "will always be emotional".
"Saddened to hear the news of the demise of Shyam Saran Negi ji, the first voter of independent India and who belonged to Kinnaur. While performing his duty, he cast his postal vote for the assembly elections for the 34th time on November 2, this memory will always be emotional," Thakur tweeted.
Calling the first voter of independent India, Shyam Saran Negi an inspiration Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday expressed his grief over Negi's death.
"His faith and commitment to the democratic processes of the country at the age of 106 is an inspiration to all," Shah tweeted in Hindi.
Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister said, "The death of Shyam Saran Negi ji of Himachal, the first voter of the country is sad. From the first election of the country till now, he has voted in all the elections."
The poll panel also mentioned in a further tweet, saying "He inspired millions to vote, even before his demise, he voted for Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 through postal ballot on November 2, 2022."
Several leaders from the BJP and Congress offered condolences to the Negi family. "The BJP expresses deep sorrow and condolences on the demise of independent India's first voter Shyam Saran Negi Ji, the first voter of independent India. May God bless the departed pious soul and give him peace and salvation," the BJP's Himachal unit tweeted.