Govt agreed to memorial for Manmohan Singh, Congress now playing politics: BJP

BJP announces memorial for Manmohan Singh, criticizes Congress for playing politics over the issue despite government's commitment.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (December28,2024) said that the decision to accord a memorial in the memory of former prime minister Manmohan Singh had been taken and conveyed to the Congress’ leadership on Friday itself, despite which the Congress was continuing to play politics over the issue.

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Speaking to the media, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that the “BJP and the NDA government led by Prime Minister Modi is fully committed to giving due respect to him (Manmohan Singh) who laid a major foundation for the country’s economic development. In view of this, yesterday the cabinet decided in its meeting that a memorial and mausoleum will be built in the memory of Manmohan Singh and this was conveyed to the Congress party.”

He added that Union Home Minister had Amit Shah had conveyed the same to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, that the government has decided to build a memorial and whatever time it takes after the completion of processes like land acquisition, formation of a trust and transfer of land, the work will be done appropriately and as soon as possible. The Congress has maintained that it wanted the cremation of Manmohan Singh at a spot where a memorial could be built, however, the cremation took place at Nigambodh Ghat a public crematorium.

“Congress party, who never respected Dr. Manmohan Singh in their lifetime, today even after his death, they are seen doing politics. I want to remind the country that Dr Manmohan Singh was the first Prime Minister of the country outside the Nehru Gandhi family who held the post of Prime Minister for 10 years...At least today, in this hour of grief, politics should be avoided. As far as our government is concerned, PM Modi’s government has given respect to all the leaders by rising above party feelings,” he said.

Significantly, it was the UPA government under Manmohan Singh which, in 2013 had said that there would be a common memorial ground for all future prime ministers and leaders at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal at Rajghat, rather than individual memorials.