NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticized the government’s decision to carry out former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s cremation at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated memorial site, calling it a “grave insult” to the late leader.
In a post on .
Rahul also wrote about Singh’s legacy, describing him as a leader whose policies elevated India to the status of an economic superpower and provided critical support to the underprivileged.
Highlighting what he called a departure from tradition, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha said: “Till date, respecting the dignity of all former prime ministers, their last rites were performed at authorized burial sites so that each person could have the last darshan. and pay tribute to him without any inconvenience.
Dr. Manmohan Singh deserves our utmost respect and tribute. “The government should have shown respect to this great son of the country and his proud community.”
‘Government could not allocate even 1,000 yards’: Kejriwal
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also expressed shock over the decision to cremate Singh at Nigambodh Ghat, stating: “The BJP government could not provide even 1,000 meters of land for the last rites and burial of Dr . Manmohan Singh, who belonged to the Sikh group. community and was recognized throughout the world.”
The Congress Party had echoed similar sentiments yesterday, accusing the BJP-led government of deliberately disrespecting Singh’s stature. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging that Singh’s funeral be held at a location where a memorial could later be built.
“The people of our country simply cannot understand why the Government of India could not find a place for his cremation and a monument worthy of his global stature,” added Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
However, the government announced plans to allocate space for a memorial to Singh. The Union Home Ministry clarified that the request for a memorial was received on the morning of the cremation day and that “space must be allotted to a trust” before construction can proceed.
Singh, who served as Prime Minister for a decade and is remembered for his economic reforms and consistent leadership during global financial crises, passed away on Thursday evening at AIIMS, Delhi. He was cremated on Saturday with full state honors.