'Congress never respected Manmohan Singh': BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi

Trivedi said it was Congress' history that they never respected any leader outside the Gandhi family. "At least today, in this hour of grief, politics should be avoided," he said, adding that the Modi government has respected all leaders irrespective of the party affiliation by giving Bharat Ratna to former Prime Ministers PV Narsimha Rao, Madan Mohan Malviya and former President Pranab Mukherjee.

"It is saddening that the Congress party, which never respected Dr Manmohan Singh in their lifetime, today even after his death, they are seen doing politics. I want to remind the country that Dr Manmohan Singh was the first Prime Minister of the country outside the Nehru Gandhi family who held the post of Prime Minister for 10 years. It has been Congress' history that they have never respected any leader outside the Gandhi family - from Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri to PV Narsimha Rao. At least today, in this hour of grief, politics should be avoided. As far as our government is concerned, the Modi government has given respect to all the leaders by rising above party feelings. We have given Bharat Ratna to three Congress leaders including Narsimha Rao, Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Pranab Mukherjee," Trivedi told ANI.

The BJP MP further said that the cabinet had finalised a memorial and mausoleum for the late Dr Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had conveyed the same to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

"BJP and the NDA government led by PM Modi are fully committed to giving due respect to him who laid a major foundation for the country's economic development. In view of this, yesterday the cabinet decided in its meeting that a memorial and mausoleum will be built in the memory of Manmohan Singh and this was conveyed to the Congress party. Union HM Amit Shah conveyed to the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, that the government has decided to build a memorial and whatever time it takes after the completion of processes like land acquisition, formation of a trust and transfer of land, the work will be done appropriately and as soon as possible," Trivedi said.

Earlier, Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone and requested to have the funeral of Dr Manmohan Singh at a place where his memorial can be built, according to a post by the Indian National Congress on X.

"I am writing this in the context of the sad demise of Dr Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India. Apropos our telephonic conversation this morning, wherein I requested 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 the memorial of the great son of India. This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former Prime Ministers at the very place of their funerals," Kharge wrote in his letter.

Kharge further said that a memorial would be a fitting tribute to a leader who rose from humble beginnings to become a statesman of immense stature.

Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Congress President Kharge and the family of late Manmohan Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial. In the meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it.

Dr Singh's political career spanned several decades, with notable positions including Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, during which he spearheaded economic reforms that transformed India's economy. He served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His tenure is particularly remembered for his steady leadership during economic crises and his contributions to modernizing India's economy.

After his second term, Dr Singh retired from public life, having led India through a period of unprecedented growth and international recognition. He was succeeded by Narendra Modi in 2014 after the Congress-led UPA lost the general elections. (ANI)