E-Paper
Manmohan Singh funeral: Congress claims ‘mismanagement’; BJP alleges ‘cheap politics’
Congress accused the government of "disgraceful treatment of a towering statesman".
The Congress on Saturday claimed that the state funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, organised by the central government, was a “shocking display of disrespect and mismanagement”. The BJP, on the other hand, slammed Rahul Gandhi for accusing it of insulting the former PM, saying he was playing "cheap politics".
"The state funeral of Dr. Manmohan Singh was a shocking display of disrespect and mismanagement," said Congress leader Pawan Khera.
"No news agencies except DD were allowed; DD focused on Modi & Shah, barely covering Dr. Manmohan Singh’s family," he claimed, adding that only three chairs were kept in the front row for his family.
"PM & ministers did not stand up when the National Flag was handed to the widow of the late Prime Minister, or during the gun salute. The family was given inadequate space around the pyre due to soldiers occupying one side. Public was kept out, left watching from outside the venue," Khera claimed in a post on X, which was also shared by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
"Amit Shah’s motorcade disrupted the funeral procession, leaving family cars outside. The gate was closed, and family members had to be located and brought back in," he added.
He claimed that diplomats were seated elsewhere and were not visible. "Shockingly, the PM did not stand when the King of Bhutan stood," he said.
Khera further accused the government of "disgraceful treatment of a towering statesman".
JP Nadda slams Rahul Gandhi, Congress
Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda reacted to Rahul Gandhi's claim that the government insulted Manmohan Singh by not cremating him at a designated spot allocated for his memorial.
"It's very unfortunate that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and incumbent Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are not refraining from playing politics even over the former prime minister's sad demise. No amount of condemnation is enough for such cheap thinking of Congress. The Congress, which never gave real respect to Manmohan Singh when he was alive, is now playing politics in the name of his respect," he said.
The union minister also said the government under Prime MInister Narendra Modi had allocated space for Singh's memorial and also informed his family about it.
Also read: Manmohan Singh was a visionary, always listened, never interfered, Raghuram Rajan says
"Yet, the Congress is spreading lies…Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other Congress leaders should refrain from indulging in such cheap politics," Nadda added.
Manmohan Singh, who ruled India from 2004 to 2014, died on Thursday. He was 92.
With inputs from PTI
