National Flag to fly half-mast as mark of respect to late Union Minister Dave

Following the death of Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave, the Government on Thursday decided that the National Flag would fly half-mast for the day.

As a mark of respect to the departed dignitary, the Centre has decided that the National Flag will fly half-mast today in Delhi and all State/Union Territory capitals on all the buildings, where it is flown regularly and on the day of the funeral, where it takes place.

Dave's last rites, who passed earlier today following a cardiac arrest, will be performed in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.

Minister of State (MoS) (Home) Jitendra Singh told the media about the cause of his death and last rites ceremony.

"It was a cardiac arrest. He will be taken to Bhopal this evening. Thereafter, he will be taken to his ancestral place Indore where his last rites will be performed. Talks regarding the same are on with his family and his Madhya Pradesh members," Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah also condoled the minister's death.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member, Dave represented Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha since 2009.

-ANI