India pays homage to Atal Bihari Vajpayee

SUMMARY

Thousands of people are paying homage to India's former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as his body is taken to his Hindu nationalist party's headquarters before cremation on the banks of the Yamuna River. Vajpayee, 93, died on Thursday in a New Delhi hospital where he was being treated for a kidney infection and chest congestion. Amid chants of "Long Live Vajpayee" by his admirers, Vajpayee's body was taken in a gun carriage from his home to the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters on Friday.

By APAug 17, 2018 1:45:08 PM IST (Published)

An ambulance carrying the body of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrives at his residence in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Vajpayee, a Hindu nationalist who set off a nuclear arms race with rival Pakistan but later reached across the border to begin a groundbreaking peace process, died on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Students from an art school place flower petals around a painting of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018. Vajpayee, who pursued both nuclear weapons and peace talks with Pakistan, died Thursday at age 93. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

The body of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, wrapped in the Indian national flag, is taken in full state honor to the Bharatiya Janata party office for people to pay their last respects in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Vajpayee, a Hindu nationalist who set off a nuclear arms race with rival Pakistan but later reached across the border to begin a groundbreaking peace process, died on Thursday after a prolonged illness. He was 93. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left wearing white, watches the truck carrying the body of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee drive into the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Thousands of people are paying homage to Vajpayee as his body is taken to his Hindu nationalist party's headquarters before cremation on the banks of the Yamuna River. Vajpayee, 93, died on Thursday in a New Delhi hospital where he was being treated for a kidney infection and chest congestion. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah, second left, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, third left, and other party leaders wait for the body of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to arrive at the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Thousands of people are paying homage to Vajpayee as his body is taken to his Hindu nationalist party's headquarters before cremation on the banks of the Yamuna River.(AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left wearing white, watches the truck carrying the body of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee drive into the party headquarters in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Thousands of people are paying homage to Vajpayee as his body is taken to his Hindu nationalist party's headquarters before cremation on the banks of the Yamuna River. Vajpayee, 93, died on Thursday in a New Delhi hospital where he was being treated for a kidney infection and chest congestion. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Indians crowd the area outside the Bharatiya Janata Party headquarters for a chance to pay their respects to former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Thousands of people are paying homage to Vajpayee as his body is taken to his Hindu nationalist party's headquarters before cremation on the banks of the Yamuna River. Vajpayee, 93, died on Thursday in a New Delhi hospital where he was being treated for a kidney infection and chest congestion. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)