"Great loss for India": MK Stalin pays last respects to former PM Manmohan Singh

Stalin termed the former PM's demise as a "great loss" for the nation. He expressed his deepest condolences to Singh's family and Congress.

"It is a great loss for India. He had introduced various schemes to improve the infrastructure in Tamil Nadu. He introduced the 100-day employment scheme, Metro rail, and Sethusamudram project and declared Tamil a classical language. He was close to our leader M. Karunanidhi. On behalf of DMK, I express my deepest condolences to his family and Congress," Stalin told reporters.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also paid his respects and called the former PM's reign as "golden period" of India. He stated that Manmohan Singh made policies for the people of India, especially for the poor ones.

Chennithala said, " We have paid last respects to him...he was a powerful PM who played a key role in making India a financial power. He was an innocent man and never had any corruption charges against him. His tenure is a golden period for India. He made policies for the people of India especially the poor. We will always cherish his memories"

Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Durai Murugan also mourned the demise of the former Prime Minister.

Speaking to ANI, Murugan said, "He served as the PM for ten years. He was a good politician, economist and administrator. His name will shine in India in future too."

Several dignitaries and politicians have offered their condolences and paid their last respects to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence in Delhi.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal and several other leaders have paid their last respects to the departed soul.

Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday evening at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the AIIMS Delhi.

Singh, renowned for introducing the 1991 economic liberalisation reforms as the Finance Minister of India, will be cremated near Rajghat, at the location where the last rites of Prime Ministers are performed.

Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932. Apart from being an economist, Manmohan Singh served as Reserve Bank of India governor from 1982-1985. He was the 13th PM of India with his tenure from 2004-2014 and was the longest-serving PM after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Serving as the finance minister of India in PV Narasimha Rao's government, Singh has been given credit for economic liberalisation in the country in 1991. The reforms made the Indian economy more accessible to foreign investors, which increased FDI and reduced government control. It greatly contributed to the country's economic growth. (ANI)