MHA clarifies govt's stance to allocate space for former PM Manmohan Singh's memorial

New Delhi, Dec 28 The government will allocate space for a memorial of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and this has been communicated to his family and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday night.

In a late-night release titled "Facts of the matter regarding a memorial for Former Prime Minister Late Dr Manmohan Singh," the Ministry said the government received a request from the Congress Chief to allocate space for a memorial for Dr Singh.

Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Kharge and the family of Dr Manmohan Singh that the government would allocate space for the memorial.

Meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a Trust has to be formed and space allocated to it, the MHA said.

Dr Singh, who headed the Congress-led UPA government and is credited with economic reforms, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92.

He was India's Prime Minister for 10 years between 2004 and 2014.

The Congress on Friday said that not finding a location for the cremation and memorial of Dr Singh was a deliberate insult to the country's first Sikh Prime Minister.

The Congress raised the issue after the Union Home Ministry said Dr Singh's last rites would be held at New Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat at 11.45 a.m. on Saturday with full state honours.

Earlier on Friday, a political controversy emerged after Congress Chief Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a separate memorial for Dr Manmohan Singh. The demand has raised questions and sparked debate, particularly given the historical context of Congress-led UPA governments rejecting similar demands in the past.

At the heart of the issue is Congress' request for a dedicated memorial site for Dr Singh, despite the fact that previous Congress-led governments established a common memorial, Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, for the cremation of VVIPs. This site, located between the memorials of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, has been the location for the last rites of former Prime Ministers since its inauguration in 2013. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also cremated there in 2018.

The Congress party's current demand for a separate memorial for Dr Singh stands in contrast to the UPA government's earlier stance when it rejected proposals for individual memorials for former Prime Ministers. Political commentators and critics have pointed out this contradiction, with many questioning the rationale behind this new approach. Social media users have also been vocal in highlighting the inconsistency in the party’s position.

In a letter to Prime Minister Modi, Kharge suggested that Dr Singh’s memorial be built at the site where his last rites would be conducted. This has sparked a political debate, with some pointing out that the Congress’ request appears to diverge from the policies of the UPA government during its tenure.

However, Congress appears dissatisfied with the government's decision to designate Nigambodh Ghat as the venue for the last rites of Dr Manmohan Singh. The funeral of the former Prime Minister is scheduled to take place at Nigambodh Ghat in the national capital on Saturday noon.

“Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister, passed away at 9:51 p.m. on December 26, 2024, at AIIMS Hospital, New Delhi. It has been decided by the Government that a State funeral will be accorded to Dr Manmohan Singh. The funeral will take place at 11:45 a.m. on December 28, 2024, at Nigambodh Ghat, New Delhi. The Ministry of Defence is requested to make arrangements for the State funeral with full military honours,” the Ministry of Home Affairs stated.

Reports suggest that during a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, MP Priyanka Gandhi proposed that a portion of either Veer Bhumi or Shakti Sthal be allocated for Dr Singh’s last rites, allowing it to double as a memorial. However, this request was met with a delay, and despite Congress’ insistence, the government confirmed Nigambodh Ghat as the final venue, offering no assurance about the creation of a memorial site.

The Congress leadership, including Kharge, continues to push for a site that honours Dr Singh's legacy.

As the political storm brews over the memorial debate, observers believe that this new demand by Congress represents a significant shift from its previous policy on memorials for former leaders.