BJP dredges up PV Narasimha Rao as Congress claims 'insult' to Manmohan Singh

The BJP claimed Manmohan Singh was sidelined by the Congress during his tenure as the prime minister.

Published on: Dec 29, 2024, 13:04:09 IST

By HT News Desk

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Reacting to the Congress's accusation that the Central government insulted ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by not allocating a spot for his memorial, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday dredged up former PM PV Narasimha Rao's funeral, claiming the Gandhi family has never accorded respect to non-Gandhi Congress politicians.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders pay their last respects to former PM Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Saturday. (AFP)

Union minister Pralhad Joshi rejected the Congress accusation that the Centre insulted Manmohan Singh, the country's first Sikh prime minister, by performing his last rites at the Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated spot that could be turned into his memorial. He termed the allegation "cheap politics".

Joshi said apart from Manmohan Singh, the Congress didn't give respect to former PM Rao and former president Pranab Mukherjee.

"Not only former prime minister (Manmohan Singh), the Congress did not accord due respect to another former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao and former president Pranab Mukherjee. Now Pranab Mukherjee's daughter said that the Congress did not convene a CWC meeting after the death of her father," he said.

Also read: 'Government insulted Manmohan Singh': Rahul Gandhi on Congress' memorial demand

He said the Congress didn't give Bharat Ratna to Rao, one of the architects of the 1991 economic reforms.

On Saturday, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia questioned the Congress's decision to not build a memorial to Rao. He was reacting to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's attack on the Centre over its decision to conduct Manmohan Singh's cremation at Nigambodh Ghat.

Sharpening his attack, Bhatia asked Priyanka to share the pictures of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi paying tribute to the mortal remains of former PM PV Narasimha Rao.

Also read: ‘Deceptive politics’: BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over X post on Manmohan Singh

The BJP leader further alleged that former PM PV Narasimha Rao's mortal remains weren't allowed to be kept at the Congress headquarters and his family was told not to cremate him in New Delhi but in his native city.

Attacking further, Bhatia asked Priyanka to share the address of the 'Samadhi Sthal' built by Congress for ex-PM Narasimha Rao, saying that they will go together to pay tribute to him.

"His body was not allowed to enter the Congress headquarters. His family was told not to cremate him in New Delhi but in his native city. Is this respect? I am sure that you and Rahul Gandhi will definitely muster the courage to ask these tough questions to your mother, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. And yes, please share the address of the Samadhi Sthal built by Congress for Narasimha Rao ji, we will go together to pay tribute. Our government has honoured his contribution by awarding him Bharat Ratna posthumously," he said.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw claimed the Congress sidelined Manmohan Singh during his tenure as the prime minister.

"Congress's hypocrisy stands exposed as they politicise Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji's last journey. Congress repeatedly sidelined him during his tenure as PM," the minister said.

"Congress denied a proper memorial to former PM PV Narasimha Rao Ji, the architect of economic reforms. He was denied the last journey through AICC headquarters. Dr Manmohan Singh Ji was reduced to a proxy prime minister. Real power was wielded by Mrs Gandhi through the National Advisory Council, undermining our constitution," Vaishnaw said.

Also read: Manmohan Singh funeral: Congress claims ‘mismanagement’; BJP alleges ‘cheap politics’

Manmohan Singh, who ushered in the economic reforms that paved the way for India's rapid development, died on Thursday. He was 92. He was cremated at Delhi's Nigam Bodh funeral ground.

Congress claimed there was mismanagement during Singh's funeral.

"Mr Nadda and the BJP have crossed all boundaries of decency and have compelled us to point out the rank hypocrisy and cheap political tricks of the BJP throughout the last two days. The shoddy arrangements and the government's conduct at Dr. Manmohan Singh ji's cremation were deeply insulting and made it clear that the government was hell-bent on diminishing his stature for their petty political reasons," Congress leader KC Venugopal posted on X.

With inputs from PTI

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