New Delhi: Articulating the sentiments of Raju Srivastava fans across the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that the comedian, who passed away after a 43-day struggle on September 21 at the age of 58, "brightened our lives with laughter, humour and positivity".
The Prime Minister said: "He leaves us too soon but he will continue to live in the hearts of countless people thanks to his rich work over the years. His demise is saddening. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti."
Noting Srivastava's 'untimely demise', former President Ram Nath Kovind described him as the "mimicry king and excellent artiste", even as he shared his 'heartfelt condolences' with the comedian's family, friends and fans.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi said: "Pained to hear about the loss of renowned comedian Raju Srivastava ji. A gem who pulled away the distress of millions with his piece of work. Apart from being an accomplished artiste, he was a great human being. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers."
Tamil actress and BJP spokesperson Khushbu Sundar said: "They say laughter is the best medicine. And those who have made us laugh depart, they leave behind memories of happiness and that is how they want us to remember them. Will always remember him with a smile and a teardrop."
Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray said: "Bidding adieu to Raju Srivastava ji. He will always be remembered for the laughter he brought to millions of people! My heartfelt condolences are with his family and loved ones in this hour of grief."
Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh spoke on behalf of his family when he said: "Truly upsetting news of the untimely demise of our dearest Raju Srivastava bhai. You have left us with a gift of smiles and laughs on and off the screen forever. The Mukesh family extends our deepest condolences to the [Srivastava] family."
Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan said in his tweet: "Saddened to hear the tragic news of Raju Srivastava's demise. May God bless his soul. You will be in our hearts forever. My condolences to his family and admirers."
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, said: "It is regrettable that Raju Srivastava is no more with us. He came from a poor family, but with his talent and hard work, he created his presence in the world. There are very few talented comedians like him. I remember how he wanted to contest from Kanpur when he joined SP."
Srivastava was indeed given an SP ticket in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, but he later returned it and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted: "Saddened to hear the tragic news of Raju Srivastava's untimely demise. He made us all laugh with his amazing comic timing for so many years. We have lost a gem. My deepest condolences to his family members and admirers."