Punjab: Ex-speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon dies at 79, SGPC chief says 'panthic loss'

AMRITSAR: Akali veteran and former Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon died at a private hospital here on Saturday afternoon at 79. Close to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal, he had been state minister from 1997 to 2002 before being appointed speaker in 2007.
He had come clean in court's investigation into a recruitment scam.The name of his family had also cropped up in the murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh 'Sidhu Moose Wala' when the Ludhiana police had arrested ex-speaker's nephew Sandeep Singh Kahlon 'Sona' on the charges of helping the shooters. The Akali veteran's son, Ravikiarn Singh Kahlon, dissociated from Sona's activities and described his father as "a man of his words".
Ravikiran, who lost the last assembly election in Dera Baba Nanak to Congressman Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, said he will further his father's political legacy. SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema tweeted that Nirmal Singh Kahlon had been ill for some time. The funeral will be at the ex-speaker's native village Dadujodh near Fatehgarh Churian in Gurdaspur district on July 17. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh said: "Nirmal Singh Kahlon was from the Taksali (traditional) Akali leaders, who always defended the Sikh Panth and the rights of Punjab. His absence will be felt in Sikh politics. It is a big Panthic loss." Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said the state had lost an "experienced, graceful, wise, and down-to-earth political leader, who had done good work in the social sector."
Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit also sent his condolences to the family.