Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day today as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister I.K. Gujral who passed away on Friday.

Making an obituary reference in the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari said in the passing away of Mr. Gujral the country has lost a veteran freedom fighter, a great statesman, an able administrator, an erudite scholar and a distinguished Parliamentarian.

The Chairman said Mr Gujral, who hailed from a family of freedom fighters, had actively participated in the freedom struggle and was jailed during the Quit India Movement. Mr Gujral was a member of the Rajya Sabha for three terms and was the Leader of the House twice.

Paying tributes in the Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar recalled that Gujral had represented India as a Special Envoy to more than seven countries. He had led many delegations to the United Nations.

Mr Gujral represented the Jalandhar Constituency in Punjab in the House for two terms. Members in both the Houses stood in silence as a mark of respect in memory of the departed leader.

Mr Gujral had served as Union Minister for External Affairs and Water Resources. Earlier, he was Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Communications. Mr Gujral was Prime Minister from April 1997 to March 1998.

Earlier, both the Houses also made a reference to Bhopal Gas tragedy, which took place on this day 28 years ago.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohammed Hamid Ansari said the tragedy still haunts the country in the form of incapacitated people and children born with deformities.

He said it was indeed a human tragedy of unparalleled magnitude whicvh shocked the conscience of the world. He said the criminal human folly that caused this tragedy has been compounded by indifferent attitude in subsequent years.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said it was one of the most horrific man-made tragedies in which thousands of people lost their lives and a very large number were physically disabled.