Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat on Friday evening visited the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's younger brother here to offer condolences over the demise of Modi's mother Hiraben. Hiraben Modi passed away at 99 at an Ahmedabad hospital early Friday morning. She lived with Pankaj Modi, the PM's younger brohter, at the Vrindavan Bungalows-2 society in Raysan village on the outskirts of Gandhinagar.
Before leaving for Delhi in the evening, PM Modi too visited his brother's residence where members of the extended Modi family were present. Later in the evening, Governor Devvrat called on the Modi family. BJP MLA from Morbi, Kanti Amrutiya, and BJP MP from Dahod, Jaswantsinh Bhabhor were among political leaders who visited Pankaj Modi's residence earlier in the day.
In the morning, at the crematorium, former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela hugged the prime minister when Modi extended his hand for a handshake. Vaghela and Modi had worked together during the Bharatiya Janata Party's initial days in Gujarat.
Others who were present during the cremation included Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, former chief minister Vijay Rupani, business tycoon Gautam Adani, writer and spiritual leader Swami Sachchidanand, state Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhari, Rajya Sabha MP Jugalji Thakor and former Assembly speaker Ramanlal Vora.
