‘E Ahamed died on Tuesday, itself’

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi (PTI): E Ahamed, the National President of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), who passed away early on Wednesday, had not only acquired an image of an able Parliamentarian and administrator but was also considered India's ‘unofficial ambassador’ in the Gulf countries due to his proximity with leaders in that region.

78-year-old Ahamed had served the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh from 2004-12 as Minister of State for External Affairs and Railways besides holding the additional charge of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Ahamed, a widely travelled politician, had represented India in United Nations 10 times.
He was also an active member of the Union government's Haj Committee and also co-chairman for the high-level monitoring mechanism of India and Qatar in 2011.

In 1984, he was sent to GCC countries as an Emissary of the then Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi.

Congress MP K.V. Thomas said that former central minister E. Ahamed was declared dead on Tuesday, but the hospital went mum later. He was finally declared dead on Wednesday.

Congress MP and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the government already knew that he (E Ahamed) had passed away, but they were trying to delay the announcement.

"In our opinion, including JDU leaders and former PM Deve Gowda, the budget should be postponed. It's not March 31, there is a lot of time to present budget. Govt can postpone it," he said. --

Subhash Kashyap, a Constitution expert told ANI that it is neither possible nor is it correct that the budget is postponed after budget copies have reach Parliament.

Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar earlier in the day said that Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan would take a final call on whether the House will be adjourned or not. The decision is expected by 10 a.m.

Earlier, at a hospital there was a huge row as top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi arrived amid allegations that family members were not allowed access to the parliamentarian.

The Congress alleged that even Ahamed's family was not allowed to see him at the government-run Ram Manohar Lohia hospital. The party blamed the Intelligence Bureau, which has denied restricting access.

Ahamed family allegedly had an argument with the hospital authorities.

"I arrived three hours ago... They have no explanation as to why we cannot see him," Ahamed's son was quoted as telling news agency ANI. "As a son I have the right to see him. We are shocked," he said.

Former Defence Minister A K Antony termed as "cruel" the behaviour of the RML Hospital authorities towards the family members of deceased leader .

The senior Congress leader said he was pained by the fact that the family members of the former Union minister were allegedly not allowed to meet him or informed about his health at the government-run hospital.

"It is because of the cruel approach of the authorities that Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) visited the hospital at night and spent almost two hours despite her ill health.

Im deeply pained," Antony told reporters after paying homage to the departed leader.
Kerala Governor P Sathasivam said the state had lost an eminent Parliamentarian and a leader of the people.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Ahamed was a leader who always upheld secular values.

Expressing condolence, state Congress chief V M Sudheeran described Ahamed as a great Parliamentarian and said it was his personality that made him a national leader in IUML.