Kathmandu, : Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has paid tribute to the late former Speaker Damannath Dhungana.

Today, he reached Sano Gaucharan in Gyaneshwar and paid his last respects, laying the party’s flag over Dhungana’s mortal remains.

While recalling that Dhungana played a vital role in establishing the narrative that ‘parliament belongs to the opposition’, Deuba said that he was praised nationally and internationally.

“His demise has caused irreparable loss to the country’s democratic movement,” President Deuba said.

Party officials, central members, former Prime Ministers Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Jhalnath Khanal, former Chairman of the Council of Ministers Khilraj Regmi, former parliamentarians, former administrators, senior lawyers, human rights workers and citizens are present in Sano Gaucharan to pay their last respects to the late Dhungana.

Meanwhile, former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun also reached there to pay tribute to Dhunagna.

Former Speaker Dhungana, who had been undergoing treatment for liver related problems for some time, passed away at the age of 83 at the Frontline Hospital in Baneshwar on Sunday afternoon.

He will be cremated with state honors at Pashupati Aryaghat after paying homage at Sano Gaucharan.