In a late-night development, the Centre agreed to allocate space for a memorial to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following a political clash between the BJP and Congress. The Congress had initially requested that Singh’s cremation take place at a separate memorial site, but this request was denied by the government. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the decision, calling it a “deliberate insult” to India’s first Sikh Prime Minister.
According to reports from news agency PTI, the Centre issued a release titled “Facts of the matter regarding a memorial for former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh,” which confirmed that the Congress had formally requested a designated space for a memorial. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asking for the final rites of Singh to be conducted at a location that would also house a memorial, following the tradition of honoring statesmen with dedicated memorials. However, the Union Home Ministry announced that Singh’s cremation would take place at Nigambodh Ghat, a public crematorium, prompting political uproar.
In response, Congress accused the BJP of showing disrespect toward Singh. Jairam Ramesh expressed outrage, asking why the Indian government could not find an appropriate place for the funeral of a leader of Singh’s global stature and legacy. He argued that this was an insult to Singh’s years of service to the nation.
The BJP quickly countered, highlighting the Congress’s failure to build a memorial for former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. BJP leaders also claimed that Congress had shown disrespect to Singh during his lifetime and was now politicizing his death. BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan pointed out that the Congress had not established a memorial for Rao, a leader from their own party.
In a subsequent statement, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi confirmed that the government had agreed to allocate land for a memorial and mausoleum in Singh’s honor. He emphasized that the memorial would be built as soon as the necessary processes, such as land acquisition and the formation of a trust, were completed.
Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee and a former Congress member, also criticized her party for failing to convene a Working Committee meeting to mourn Singh’s passing. She recalled that when her father passed away, the Congress had not even called a meeting, despite such meetings being held for other prominent figures like President KR Narayanan.
Singh’s funeral will take place around 11:45 am, following a procession from the Congress headquarters at 9:30 am. Leaders from across the political spectrum, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and several members of the Gandhi family, have already paid their respects to the late former Prime Minister.
