December 9, 2021
New Delhi
The country’s first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Coonoor on Wednesday. His wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other army personnel have died in the accident. The body of General Bipin Rawat is being brought to Delhi, where the last rites will be performed with full military honours. Prime Minister, Defense Minister, Union Cabinet, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Chief Minister and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami are reported to be attending the funeral. Meanwhile, questions are being raised on the non-declaration of any state mourning on the death of a person like General Bipin Rawat. In such a situation, it will be interesting to know when the state mourning is declared.
Uttarakhand government announces 3-day state mourning
So far, Bipin Rawat’s home state Uttarakhand has declared three days of state mourning. There will be three days of state mourning in the state from December 9 to 11. Due to the death of Bipin Rawat, a native of Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand, the ongoing assembly session in Uttarakhand has been extended by a day. The assembly session will now run on December 9, 10 and 11. There will be no business in the Assembly on December 9. Tributes will be paid to CDS Bipin Rawat.
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What are the rules? When should there be national mourning?
However, in terms of rules, only serving and former Prime Ministers, Union Ministers, President, Vice President and Chief Justice of India are entitled to nationwide national mourning. But over time the rules changed. Nothing has been said clearly in writing about the state mourning nor is there any SOP for it. Therefore, it is at the discretion of the government to classify whose death as national mourning and declare a nationwide national mourning.
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Funeral common with state honors
There is a difference between a national mourning and a funeral with state honours. Any person who has made special contribution in the fields like politics, administration, literature, law, science, art and cinema, the government can allow his body to be covered with the tricolour. For this, the Chief Minister can take a decision after consulting his cabinet. We have some examples like Mother Teresa, Sathya Sai Baba, Sridevi who were cremated with state honors for their distinguished contribution in their field.
When is a holiday during state mourning?
The 1997 notification of the Central Government has clarified that no public holiday is necessary during the state funeral. Through this notification, the provision of compulsory public holiday during national mourning was abolished. Now a public holiday can be declared only in the event of the death of a President or Prime Minister while in office. However, on several occasions, the state governments have been declaring a holiday on the death of a dignitary. The central government had declared a half-day holiday on the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but many states like Delhi had declared a full-day holiday.
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What happens during national or state mourning?
In India, ‘national or state mourning’ is a symbolic way of expressing the grief of an entire nation or state. According to the Flag Code of India, during national mourning, the national flag is flown at half-mast throughout India and in embassies or other Indian institutions abroad. Apart from this, no formal and official events are organized. There are also restrictions on gatherings and official entertainment.
CDS Bipin Rawat dies, why Yogi government on target?
The Yogi government of Uttar Pradesh is also under attack on social media for not declaring state mourning in the state after the death of CDS Bipin Rawat. People are questioning what the government is waiting for to declare state mourning. In fact, the Yogi government had declared a one-day state mourning in Uttar Pradesh on January 13 on the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman on 12 January 2020. Bipin Rawat was also born in undivided Uttar Pradesh and his Gorkha regiment also has a special connection with Uttar Pradesh.
