Centre Clears Memorial for Dr. Manmohan Singh on a Proposal from Congress

The Centre has approved the location for a Memorial for Dr. Manmohan Singh. This comes after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Union Minister Amit Shah, on a proposal. The Cabinet approved the move late at night on Friday.

Earlier, Kharge had written to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to request that a separate place be allotted for Dr Manmohan Singh’s cremation and memorial. Congress President drew upon the tradition of installing monuments at the funeral place for former prime ministers and statesmen.

In a statement, the MHA confirmed that the government had decided to allocate space for the memorial but clarified that the cremation and other formalities could be carried out in the meantime. “The request was received this morning. After deliberations in the Cabinet meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah conveyed to Kharge and Dr. Singh’s family that space for the memorial will be allocated soon.”. However, a trust has to be formed, and space has to be officially designated,” the statement read.

The announcement, however, has come under criticism from Congress leaders. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP-led government of disrespecting Dr. Singh’s legacy by delaying the allocation of a memorial site. “This delay is a deliberate insult to India’s first Sikh Prime Minister, a man of global stature and remarkable service to the nation,” Ramesh said, questioning the government’s intent.

On the contrary, BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan took a dig at the Congress, saying it is “ironic” when Kharge lectures on tradition. Kesavan pointed out that the Congress-led UPA government, despite having ten years of rule, never constructed a memorial in the national capital for former PM PV Narasimha Rao, who died in 2004.

This debate has again put politics between the ruling BJP and Congress in the fiery polemics as it saw both parties trade their accusations on the legacy of notable leaders.

Dr. Manmohan Singh, who served as India’s 13th Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, is widely regarded for his contributions to India’s economic reforms and development. The Centre’s decision to allocate a memorial site comes as a step to honor his legacy, though political disagreements over the matter persist.