Aurangabad, March 20: Former union minister of state Dilip Gandhi was a leader with constructive approach. Cutting across lines of caste and creed, he had endeared himself to all communities due to his committed social work. His death has caused loss not only to the Jain community but to the entire society, said prominent personalities from different walks of life.
They were speaking during an online condolence meeting organised by the Sakal Jain Samaj and Akhil Bharatiya Jain Alpasankhyank Mahasangh to pay homage to the late leader on Friday evening.
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, former minister Rajendra Darda, Bharatiya Janata Party state vice-president Madhav Bhandari paid rich tributes to Gandhi, a former MP of Ahmednagar, and threw light on his contribution to society.
National president of Akhil Bharatiya Jain Alpasankhyank Mahasangh Lalit Gandhi, MLAs Geeta Jain, Atul Save, national president of Digambar Rashtriya Mahasabha Nirmal Sethi (Delhi), Akhil Bharatiya Marwadi Samaj leader Ramesh Bang (Nagpur), Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture president Santosh Mandlecha (Nashik), Sthanakvasi Jain conference national office-bearer Subhash Oswal, president of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutes Justice N K Jain, national president of Digambar Jain Mahasabha Manindar Jain (Delhi), All India Vaish Federation national general secretary Dr Gopal Mor, Jain Federation Rajasthan state president Vimal Ranka (Jaipur), Federation’s Gujarat state coordinator Ganpat Bhansali (Surat), Federation Delhi state president J K Jain, Federation Maharashtra vice-president Dr Richa Jain (Nagpur), Terapanth Samaj office-bearer Dhanpat Malu (Ahmedabad), Confederation of all India Traders Maharashtra state president Rajendra Banthiya (Pune), Mahavir Bhansali, Jain Federation Andhra Pradesh president Mukesh Chauhan (Hyderabad), Jain Federation Tamil Nadu state president Uttamchand Goti (Chennai), Jain Rajnaitik Chetana Manch national general secretary Lalit Jain (Indore) and BJP minority front’s Atiq Khan also expressed their feelings. Dilip Gandhi’s wife Saroj Gandhi said that their son Suvendra will continue contributing to the social cause, with an effort to fill the void created by the leader’s death. Lalit Gandhi and Sandeep Bhandari organised the meeting. Suvendra Gandhi spoke on behalf of the Dilip Gandhi family and thanked the friends and well-wishers from all across the country for providing emotional support to the family.