Former chief minister and senior politician S M Krishna passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, December 7. He had been undergoing treatment for health issues for the past few months.As a mark of respect, the Karnataka government has declared a public holiday on Wednesday, December 11. All Anganwadis, schools, and colleges across the state will remain closed on this day. Due to the government holiday, Mangalore University has postponed its undergraduate examinations that were scheduled for Wednesday. The university has stated that the new exam dates will be announced shortly.Earlier today, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the last rites of Karnataka’s former Chief Minister and Union Minister SM Krishna will be performed on Wednesday evening.
“Till tomorrow at 8 am, everyone is allowed to pay the last respects at his residence in Bengaluru. At 8 am tomorrow, his mortal remains will be taken to Maddur, his native place. Till 10.30 we will reach Maddur. Till 3 pm, everyone would be allowed to have darshan. The family rituals would be conducted for one hour. At 4 pm, the state honour will be conducted and the last rites will be done,” Shivakumar told reporters. He further recalled his relationship with the former CM, “It’s a relationship between father and son. I lost him, you can see what we are today, it’s only because of him, and his programs. When Rajkumar was kidnapped, he called me in the night and I know what kind of situation he faced. How much he struggled.”Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot expressed profound sorrow over the demise of SM Krishna. Krishna had been suffering from a prolonged illness and was hospitalized earlier in August.
Krishna, 92, was Karnataka Chief Minister from October 11, 1999, to May 28, 2004, and also served as External Affairs Minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government from 2009 to 2012, and as Maharashtra Governor.He joined the BJP in March 2017, ending his nearly 50-year-long association with the Congress. He retired from active politics last year