Senior BJP leaders, including former Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, Leader of Opposition Shri LK Advani and others condoled the demise of veteran BJP leader Ved Prakash Goyal. He passed away at the Hinduja Hospital of Mumbai on December 17 following protracted illness. He was cremated in Mumbai the next day.
He was 82 and is survived by wife Smt Chandrakanta, a former three-time MLA, two sons Shri Pradeep and Shri Piyush, two daughters Pramila and Pratibha. VP Goyal had been ailing since May this year. He was hospitalised once for a fortnight in May and again for over the past one week.
Born on January 31, 1926 at Karnal in Haryana, VP Goyal was educated at Dayanand Anglo Vedic College, Lahore, and did his B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering.
He was the Minister of Shipping for two-and-a-half years in the previous Vajpayee-led NDA Cabinet at the Centre.
A former All India treasurer of the BJP, VP Goyal was the party'sMumbai unit president. He became a full-time RSS worker after completing B.Sc. in 1949. Subsequently, he was closely associated with Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Janata Party and the BJP.
He held several positions in his public life with distinction. From March 2000 onwards he was the Chairman of House Committee, Rajya Sabha, September 2000 onwards, Chairman of Committee to Discuss Amendments to the Benaras Hindu University Act, 1915, 1990 onwards, all India treasurer of BJP, 1998 onwards, convenor of Overseas Friends of BJP, from 1999-2000, Member of Standing Committee on Energy, from 1999-2000, Convenor of Sub-Committee on Non-Conventional Energy Sources of Standing Committee on Energy, from 1999-2000, Member of Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Communications, from 1999-2000, Member of General Purposes Committee of Rajya Sabha, Member of Select Committee on Prevention of Money Laundering Bill, 1999, Member of Joint Committee on Central Vigilance Commission Bill, 1999, from 1999-2000, Member of Regional Direct Taxes Advisory Committee, from 1999-2000, Member of Hindi Advisory Committee of Ministry of External Affairs, from 1994-96, President of BJP Mumbai unit, elected to Rajya Sabha, 1996-97, and from 1997-98, Member of Standing Committee on Energy, from 1997-98, Member of Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Industry, from 1998-99, Member of Standing Committee on Transport and Tourism.
He was the founder editor of Nirbhaya Pathik, a Hindi daily from Mumbai. He was awarded ?Distinguished Alumnus Award? by Benaras Hindu University in 1984 and during 1997-98, he promoted young entrepreneurs projects in Science and Engineering models through Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad; women empowerment, slums development and upliftment of Vanvasis through an NGO ?Van-Bandhu?; community service through projects like public convenience, community halls, gymnasium, beautification of public places, support to charitable medical institutions.
He was also the president of BHU Alumni Association, Mumbai from 1998-93 and Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya Smarak Samiti; President of Lions Club Kaliwada, Mumbai, 1976; Member of Adarsh Ramlila Samiti and Agroha Vikas Parishad Central Committee, Bharat Vikas Parishad, Hindustan Parakashan Sansthan, Mumbai and Bharatiya Jan Kalyan Society Mumbai; Trustee of Managing Committee of Lok Kalyan Nyas, Delhi; President of Dr Mookerjee Samriti Nyas, Delhi; founder Member of Parliamentarians for Friendship with Taiwan; Associated with National Advisory Committee of the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises; Reading contemporary global literature on Business Management, political and sociological subject, history, fiction, sight-seeing, film and TV serials.
Paying tribute to the departed soul, former Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee said that in the demise of Ved Prakash Goel we have lost a close companion, assiduous activist and ideal politician. ?He was an associate in joy and sorrow. From Jana Sangh time to the BJP'stime till now, he worked diligently. Whatever responsibilities he was entrusted with he discharged them meticulously. But for the last sometime he fell ill and fighting the disease he departed. His demise is a personal loss to me. At the demise of my close friend, I have no words to express my condolence. I can only pray to God and say, may his soul rest in peace and his family get strength to bear this irreparable loss.
Paying tributes Shri LK Advani said, ?Vedprakashji was one of the stalwarts of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP who served the party and the ideological movement with exemplary dedication for over six decades.?
BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde condoled the death of senior party leader Ved Prakash Goyal, describing him as a dedicated worker. VP Goyal worked for the organisation right from the Jana Sangh days, he said. ?Ved Prakashji was a source of support and strength for all of us. He used to help us in times of crisis,? Shri Munde said.
