NEW DELHI: Ahead of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s final rites with full state honours, the Congress on Friday requested the Union government for a resting place for him along the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi, where many former PMs have their memorials.
The Centre told the Congress brass to conduct the funeral at the Nigambodh Ghat crematorium on Saturday as scheduled while it will consider the request for a memorial later. Later, the Union home ministry said the government will allocate space for a memorial, adding it has been communicated to his family and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said: “Apropos our telephonic conversation today morning, wherein I made a request to hold Dr Singh’s last rites, which will take place tomorrow at his final resting place that would be a sacrosanct venue for a memorial of the great son of India. This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former Prime Ministers at the very place of their funerals.”
A communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the evening said Singh’s last rites will be conducted at 11.45 am on Saturday at the Nigambodh Ghat crematorium with state honours. After a Cabinet meeting, Union home minister Amit Shah communicated to Kharge and Singh’s family that the government would allocate space for the memorial. In the meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a Trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it, the home ministry said.
Significantly, it was the UPA government headed by Singh that decided in 2013 that there would be no separate memorials for VVIPs in Delhi and decided to have a common complex for memorials of departed national leaders like Presidents, Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers.
In the condolence resolution passed at its meeting, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) paid tributes to Singh, saying he was a towering figure in India’s political and economic landscape whose contributions transformed the country and earned him respect worldwide.
Modi among first to pay homage
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was among the first ones to pay homage to Singh and lay a wreath on Friday, said the death was a big loss and the nation lost an able statesman
Personal loss, says Sonia
Terming his death a “personal loss”, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Friday said Singh was her friend, philosopher and guide. She said Singh leaves a void in the national life that can’t be filled.
Singh’s final procession at 9.30 am
On Saturday, his mortal remains will be taken to AICC HQ at 8 am, where party cadre and the public can offer tributes. The final procession to the cremation ground will depart at 9.30 am
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