Barnala cremated with full state honours

His son and ex-MLA Gaganjit Singh and grandson Samarpratap Singh jointly lit the pyre. Once the bugle sounded, a pall of silence descended at the cremation ground before police personnel fired shots in air as a mark of respect to the departed leader. 

Barnala took over reins of the state in the difficult period when militancy was at its peak in the mid-80s. He died in Chandigarh at the age of 91. Barnala, who served as chief minister from 1985 to 1987, was admitted to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh. A moderate leader of the Akali Dal, he became chief minister after the Rajiv-Longowal accord to usher in peace in the troubled state was reached in the summer of 1985. 

As Governor of Tamil Nadu, Barnala had famously refused to recommend dismissal of the DMK government in 1991 when the late Chandrashekhar was the Prime Minister for a short time. When he was transferred to Bihar following his refusal, he chose to resign as Governor. He had also served as Governor of Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

President Pranab Mukherjee has condoled the demise of former Punjab Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, saying he would always be remembered for his strong stance against extremism.