RSS veteran Manikchand Vajpayee passes away

Gwalior: Senior journalist and former RSS publicity incharge Manikchand Vajpayee died here early this morning after a prolonged illness.

He was 87.

Vajpayee was the founder editor of multi-edition Hindi daily ”Swadesh” and had been associated with the publicity of RSS activities for a long time.

Former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who are in Mumbai to attend the BJP silver jubilee function, are scheduled to arrive here this afternoon to pay homage to Mr Manik Chand Vajpayee.

Vajpayee’s body will be kept at the RSS office to enable the people to pay tributes and will be cremated at Laxmiganj crematorium here tomorrow, Sangh sources said.

Mr Chouhan has expressed profound grief on the death of Mr Vajpayee, who, he said, had dedicated his life to the task of nation-building.

The Chief Minister, in his condolence message, said Mr Vajpayee was a nationalist thinker and his services to society and the nation would be remembered forever.