Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal's father Gurdas Singh Badal (90), a former parliamentarian, died at a private hospital here late Thursday night, his son said on Friday.
He will be cremated in ancestral village Badal in Muktsar district. Owing to pandemic, friends and well wishers have been requested to refrain from attending the funeral ceremony.
Gurdas Badal was the younger brother of Akali Dal patron and five-time Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
"It is with great sorrow that I inform about the demise of my father S. Gurdas Singh Badal. He passed away last night at Fortis Hospital, Mohali. He was 90," Manpreet informed in a tweet on Friday.
"His health had started deteriorating after my mother's death in March and he was on life-support system for the past few days."
Keeping in view the current pandemic, Manpreet added: "We will like to request all friends and well wishers to refrain from attending the funeral ceremony which will be held in our ancestral village (Badal)."
Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh also expressed his grief on Twitter and wrote, "Deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of S. Gurdas Singh Badal. Join my colleague Manpreet Badal and the family in this moment of grief. May the Almighty grant liberation to the departed soul. Rest in peace!"
Gurdas Badal was cremated at his ancestral village Badal in Muktsar district during the day.
Gurdas Badal was the younger brother of Akali Dal patron and five-time Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. The former had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from Lambi against the latter in 2012.
"I am speechless today. It's a loss that no language has words to describe. Never felt lonelier in my life. Hard to even think that he won't be by my side now. My thoughts go out to Manpreet and other children. Praying for peace to him and strength to us," Parkash Singh Badal said in a tweet.
Paying tributes, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh recalled the remarkable services rendered by Gurdas Badal to ensure the welfare of the people, especially the downtrodden, and for the overall development and prosperity of the state, particularly the Malwa region.