Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Dies at 95

Parkash Singh Badal, a five-time former chief minister of Punjab and Akali Dal patriarch, passed away at the age of 95. He was admitted to a private hospital in Mohali a week ago after he complained of uneasiness while breathing. Badal was the youngest Chief Minister to ever hold office in the state of Punjab and lost only two elections in his career spanning over seven decades. He courted arrest during Operation Bluestar in June 1984 and returned his Padma Vibhushan award in protest against the treatment of the protesting farmers by the Central government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes to the Punjab leader, calling him a "colossal figure of Indian politics, and a remarkable statesman".