Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Manmohan Singh and his many connections to the State, and more

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 26, 2024, contributed to the growth of Karnataka in many ways, but what stands out is his statement that ‘people see India through the prism of Bengaluru’. As prime minister in UPA-1, he provided debt relief to farmers through waiver of entire overdue interest and rescheduling of overdue loans as on June 30, 2006. He had waived off crop loans amounting to ₹72,000 crore during the UPA-I regime.

Under the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Package, Karnataka received ₹2,689.64 crore for providing relief to small farmers in Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Hassan, Kodagu and Shimoga districts. The package benefited many small farmers. A technocrat, Dr Singh inaugurated the Kempegowda International Airport in 2008, and flagged off the city’s first metro train from Baiyappanahalli to M.G. Road in 2011. Mr. Singh also largely contributed to the expansion of the size of the Indian middle class. 

As the country mourns the demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh, a family in Hubballi recalled the simplicity of the economist. Seven decades ago, Harnam Singh Kohli chose Hubballi to start a business in automobile spare parts, which is now being run by his second son, Manmeet Singh. He is married to Harpreet Kaur Kohli, who is the younger sister of Gurusharan Kaur, wife of Manmohan Singh.

Although related to the former Prime Minister of India, the simple and soft-spoken Kohlis never showed off their ‘high-profile connection’. The connection came to light only after a section of the media highlighted it after Mr. Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister. The Kohlis had last gone to meet the Singhs in New Delhi in 2018. Of late, they were in touch through telephone.

Ministers and Congress leaders of Karnataka paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a public condolence meeting in Belagavi on December 27. “His life was a miracle,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. “Born in an ordinary household in a rural area, he went on to be one of the greatest economists of India.”

“He kept working silently. He was soft-spoken, and spoke less. But he never shied from making his point whenever required. His policies aimed to benefit of the middle classes and the poor,” the CM said, adding, “He said ‘history would be kinder to him’. Those words have become prophetic.”

One more person among the nine Ayyappa devotees, who were being treated at KMC-RI Hospital in Hubballi after being injured in a fire mishap, succumbed to the injuries on December 27, taking the death toll to three.