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Updated: Apr 20, 2020 14:49 IST

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said he will not attend his father’s last rites on Tuesday to ensure the enforcement of coronavirus lockdown, news agency ANI reported. CM Adityanath’s father, Anand Singh Bisht, passed away at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi on Monday morning.

The chief minister urged that there should be a minimal presence of people during his father’s funeral in view of the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath says he will not take part in the last rites of his father tomorrow, to ensure enforcement of lockdown and to defeat coronavirus pandemic in the state. pic.twitter.com/PPjy9xxLgB — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 20, 2020

“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s father left for his heavenly abode at 10.44 am. Our deepest condolences,” State Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish K Awasthi said.

Bisht was 89 and retired as a forest ranger in the year 1991. He was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Delhi and died of multi-organ failure, a doctor said on Monday. Bisht, admitted the hospital since March 13, was on ventilator support in the intensive care unit (ICU).

“He had multiple issues; his kidneys and liver were not working optimally; he was on dialysis and other life-saving measures and was being treated by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists...,” said a senior doctor at the hospital, requesting anonymity.

He had liver and kidney-related issues, and was admitted to the hospital with an acute liver infection, doctors said. He also suffered from critically low blood pressure, extreme dehydration and severe infection.

My heartfelt condolences at the passing away of Anand Singh Bisht ji, father of UP CM Yogi Adityanath ji. May his soul rest in peace.

May God give Yogi ji and his family members strength to bear the loss. — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 20, 2020

Scores of political leaders and diplomats condoled Bisht’s death including Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath.

“My heartfelt condolences at the passing away of Anand Singh Bisht ji, father of UP CM Yogi Adityanath ji. May his soul rest in peace. May God give Yogi ji and his family members strength to bear the loss,” Kamal Nath tweeted.