Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the Centre must conduct the funeral of former prime minister Manmohan Singh at a place where his memorial can be constructed.
Singh passed away in Delhi's AIIMS on Thursday. He was 92.
"Apropos our telephonic conversation today morning, wherein I made a request to hold Dr Manmohan Singh's last rites, which will take place tomorrow i.e. 28th December 2024, at his final resting place that would be a sacrosanct venue for memorial of the great son of India," he wrote in the letter.
"This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former Prime Ministers at the very place of their funerals," he added.
Kharge noted that Manmohan Singh came from a humble background and became a statesman because of his sheer grit and determination. He hoped that befitting Singh's stature, his request should be accepted.
"Coming from a humble background and having experienced the pains and sufferings of the Partition, it is through his sheer grit and determination that he rose to become one of the leading statesmen of the world. I hope and trust that befitting stature of Dr Manmohan Singh, request to have the funeral of Dr Singh at a place where his memorial can be built, will be acceded," Mallikarjun Kharge said in his letter to Modi.
Also read: Sonia Gandhi remembers 'friend' Manmohan Singh: ‘Epitome of wisdom, nobility’
{{/usCountry}}"Coming from a humble background and having experienced the pains and sufferings of the Partition, it is through his sheer grit and determination that he rose to become one of the leading statesmen of the world. I hope and trust that befitting stature of Dr Manmohan Singh, request to have the funeral of Dr Singh at a place where his memorial can be built, will be acceded," Mallikarjun Kharge said in his letter to Modi.
Also read: Sonia Gandhi remembers 'friend' Manmohan Singh: ‘Epitome of wisdom, nobility’
{{/usCountry}}The Congress chief said Dr Manmohan Singh holds a highly revered place in the psyche of the country and the people of this nation, and his contributions and achievements were phenomenal.
He also said that Dr Singh's erudition on economic and fiscal matters came from his vast experience as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, chief economic advisor to the government of India and in various other capacities in several organisations, and the respect and regard that world leaders had for him bears testimony to this fact.
Manmohan Singh, who ruled the country between 2004 and 2014, was credited for ushering economic reforms that paved the way for India's economic revival.
What PM Modi said on Manmohan Singh's demise?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday mourned the demise of ex-PM Dr Manmohan Singh.
“India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” the Prime Minister posted on X.
“Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji and I interacted regularly when he was PM and I was the CM of Gujarat. We would have extensive deliberations on various subjects relating to governance. His wisdom and humility were always visible. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the family of Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji, his friends and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” Modi added.
With inputs from PTI