Shivraj Patil passes away: Congress loyalist, former home minister who resigned after 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks

SHIVRAJ Patil, veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister, died at his residence in Latur, Maharashtra, on Friday, 12 December. Patil, 90, passed away at his residence after a brief illness, according to family sources, who informed the news agency PTI.

A seven-time member of parliament (MP) from Latur in Maharashtra, Shivraj Patil has also served as Speaker of the Lok Sabha, in addition to holding key portfolios in the Union Cabinet during the UPA government.

Early Years and Education

Shivraj Patil was a senior Indian politician known for his long tenure in Parliament, key roles in the Union government, and his service as a governor. A veteran of the Congress party, Shivraj Patil held key portfolios in the Union government over a career spanning more than five decades.

Patil was born on 12 October 1935 in the Latur district of Maharashtra. Patil studied at Osmania University and was trained as a lawyer before entering public life.

Patil began his political journey in the Maharashtra Assembly, where he served as Speaker (1978–1980). He was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times from the Latur constituency, making him one of the prominent leaders from Marathwada within the Congress.

In his political career in the Union government, Shivraj Patil has served as Minister of State (Defence) in the 1980s, as well as Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the Lok Sabha in the 1990s.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the top politicians to condole the death of the Congress leader. “Saddened by the passing of Shri Shivraj Patil Ji. He was an experienced leader, having served as MLA, MP, Union Minister, Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly as well as the Lok Sabha during his long years in public life,” the prime minister said in a post on X.

“He was passionate about contributing to the welfare of society. I have had many interactions with him over the years, the most recent one being when he came to my residence a few months ago. My thoughts are with his family in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” he said.

Resigned after 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Shivraj Patil became Home Minister in 2004 despite facing a defeat in the 2004 polls from Latur. Eventually, he became a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Shivraj Patil served as the Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008 in the UPA-I government. His tenure as Home Minister was marked by several major terror attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, after which he resigned from the post.

The Mumbai attack, commonly known as the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was a coordinated series of shootings and bombings carried out by 10 terrorists from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba between 26 and 29 November 2008. 166 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and foreigners. Over 300 people were injured.

Shivraj Patil has also been the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh between 2010 and 2015. Patil also briefly held an additional charge as the Governor of Rajasthan in 2011.

Nehru-Gandhi Loyalist

Shivraj Patil was often viewed as a loyalist of the Nehru-Gandhi family within the Congress. Shivraj Patil’s resignation as Home Minister in 2008 remains one of the most defining events of his career. Shivraj Patil stepped back from active politics after completing his term as governor in 2015.

First inducted in the Indira Gandhi-led government as Minister of State for Defence (1980–82), Shivraj Patil was given independent charge of the Commerce Ministry (1982–83). Later, Shivraj was transferred to the Science and Technology, Atomic Energy, Electronics, Space, and Ocean Development sector (1983–84).

In the Rajiv Gandhi government, Shivraj Patil was Minister for Personnel, Defence Production, and later held independent charge of Civil Aviation and Tourism.