Manmohan Singh Funeral Row: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday criticised the BJP-led government for allegedly disrespecting former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by conducting his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated memorial site. The Congress also alleged mismanagement and a lack of respect at the state funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, describing the event as a “shocking display of disrespect”. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the claims, accusing the Congress of politicising the solemn occasion.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi stated, " Manmohan Singh, a great son of Bharat Mata and the first Sikh Prime Minister, was insulted by holding his funeral at Nigambodh Ghat. For a decade, he led India as Prime Minister, transforming the nation into an economic powerhouse. His policies continue to support the underprivileged and backward classes."
"Till date, respecting the dignity of all former Prime Ministers, their last rites were performed at authorised burial sites so that every person could have the last darshan and pay homage without any inconvenience. Manmohan Singh deserves our highest respect and a memorial. The government should have shown respect to this great son of the country and his proud community," he added.
Arvind Kejriwal expressed shock over the development, saying, "I am stunned to hear that Manmohan Singh, who served as India’s Prime Minister for ten years and earned global recognition, was cremated at Nigambodh Ghat. Unlike previous Prime Ministers, who were given memorials at Rajghat, the BJP government could not even allocate 1,000 square yards for his memorial."
The remarks come as the Congress accused the Modi government of deliberately insulting Singh by not designating a memorial site for his cremation. However, the Union Home Ministry clarified that plans for a memorial are underway.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), alleged, “The state funeral of Dr Manmohan Singh was a shocking display of disrespect and mismanagement.” He criticised the absence of media coverage beyond Doordarshan, claiming it “focused on Modi and Shah, barely covering Dr Manmohan Singh’s family.”
Khera also alleged that the family of the late prime minister faced inadequate arrangements, stating, “Only three chairs were kept in the front row for his family. The family was given inadequate space around the pyre due to soldiers occupying one side.” He further claimed, “The PM and ministers did not stand up when the National Flag was handed to the widow of the late Prime Minister, or during the gun salute. Public was kept out, left watching from outside the venue.”
The Congress leader also criticised Home Minister Amit Shah’s motorcade, alleging it disrupted the funeral procession and left family cars outside the venue. “The gate was closed, and family members had to be located and brought back in,” he said.
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Manmohan Singh Funeral Row: BJP Calls Congress Allegations 'Unfortunate', Claims 'New Low In Politics'
In response, BJP president J P Nadda accused the Congress of “cheap politics”. “It’s very unfortunate that Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are not refraining from playing politics even over the former prime minister’s sad demise,” he said.
Nadda asserted that the government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had allocated space for Manmohan Singh’s memorial and informed his family. He said, “The Congress, which never gave real respect to Manmohan Singh when he was alive, is now playing politics in the name of his respect.”
Highlighting past instances, Nadda accused the Congress of sidelining other prominent leaders, including P V Narasimha Rao, B R Ambedkar, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, while promoting the Nehru-Gandhi family.
"Congress, which never gave respect to Dr Manmohan Singh while he was alive, is now doing politics in the name of his respect. This is the same Congress which tarnished the dignity of the post of PM by placing Sonia Gandhi as super PM above PM Manmohan Singh. Rahul Gandhi insulted PM Manmohan Singh by tearing the ordinance. And today the same Rahul Gandhi is doing politics. The Gandhi family has neither given respect to any big leader of the country nor done justice to them," he remarked.
Nadda cited examples of BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, PV Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, and more alleging disrespect by the Congress.
"Whether it is from the Congress party or the opposition, whether it is Baba Saheb Ambedkar, the country's first President Rajendra Babu, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, PV Narasimha Rao, Pranab Da, Atal Bihari Vajpayee...The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given place for PM Manmohan Singh's Samadhi and has also informed the family. Still, Congress is spreading false news," he added.
"It is necessary to remember the history of Congress. After the death of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, there was a demand to build a Samadhi Sthal in Delhi's Rajghat complex. But at that time Sonia Gandhi had rejected it... It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who established a memorial for him in 2015... When former President Bharat Ratna Dr Pranab Mukherjee passed away in 2020, the Congress Working Committee did not even bother to call a condolence meeting...Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and other Congress party leaders should refrain from such cheap politics," Nadda stated.
BJP MP Sambit Patra called the Congress allegation "a new low in politics of India" slamming Rahul Gandhi's post.
"Due to the Congres party, we are here to have a press conference on the day when the last rites of the former prime minister were done... BJP believes that there has to be dignity in death. The kind of deceptive politics Congress has engaged in, especially Rahul Gandhi, is unfortunate. Just an hour ago, Rahul Gandhi tweeted accusing BJP of disrespecting former PM Manmohan Singh by conducting his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat.... On a day of mourning, I believe Congress should have refrained from this kind of politics," he remarked.
"The cabinet wrote a letter to Congress and Dr Singh's family where the cabinet said that we should build a memorial in his name so that the country and the world remember him for his positive works," he emphasised.
The BJP leader stressed that there is a procedure to build a memorial but cremation is a process that can not wait while a trust will have to be formed for the same.
"It was a direct communication that our party had extended. But, after that, the kind of politics Congress did, it shouldn't have been done on the day of grief. I want to tell the Congress and its supporters who are saying absurd things - while being in office if someone who has damaged the dignity of former PM Manmohan Singh - it's Congress party," Patra remarked.
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Manmohan Singh's Final Journey With Full State Honours
Manmohan Singh, who passed away on 26 December at the age of 92, was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi on Saturday. The ceremony was attended by President oupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, among others.
Foreign dignitaries, including Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Mauritius’ Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful, also paid tributes. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla were present, along with Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah, Revanth Reddy, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, and Atishi.
The funeral procession began from the Congress headquarters, where leaders and workers paid their respects. Singh’s body was carried in a flower-decorated vehicle, accompanied by chants of "Manmohan Singh Amar Rahe." His pyre was lit by his eldest daughter, Upinder Singh, with Sikh priests reciting Gurbani, news agency PTI reported.
Credited as the architect of India’s economic reforms, Singh served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, steering the nation towards growth. Congress workers raised demands for a Bharat Ratna during the funeral procession.
A seven-day national mourning has been declared, with the national flag flying at half-mast.