The Centre yesterday late at night agreed to allocate space for a memorial for former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. This follows intense political sparring between the BJP and the Congress. The Centre had initially directed Singhโs cremation at Nigambodh Ghat. This Ghat is a public crematorium.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The centre initially rejected Congress President Mallikarjun Khargeโs request for a dedicated memorial site.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs said, โThe Government received a request to allocate space for a memorial for former Prime Minister Late Dr Manmohan Singh. The Congress Party President made the request. Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, HM Shri Amit Shah communicated to Congress President Shri Kharge.โ
It further said, โDiscussions were also held with the family of Late Dr Manmohan Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial. Meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it.โ
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According to News18, In 2013, the cabinet of UPA-2 decided to have a commonplace as a memorial. An official press release stated, โThe Union Cabinet today approved the construction of a โRashtriya Smritiโ. The construction will be at Samadhis Complex near Ekta Sthal in New Delhi. This will ensure a place to perform the last rites of departed national leaders and other leaders as decided by the Cabinet. This will include Presidents, Vice Presidents, Prime Ministers, former Presidents, Vice Presidents, and Prime Ministers.โ
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It also added, โIn the past, separate memorials for departed national leaders were created near Rajghat which covered a large spaceโ. Given the Cabinet decision taken in the year 2000 that, โHenceforth Government shall not develop any Samadhi for departed leadersโ. The paucity of land at the Samadhis Complex area. โRashtriya Smriti is being developed to perform the last rites of departed national leaders. The Smriti area will provide space for the last rites of departed national leaders in the future, besides space for a public gathering.โ
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But the Centreโs initial rejection sparked a political debate. Member of Rajya Sabha and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called the decision a โdeliberate insultโ to Singh. He cited his remarkable contributions to the nation as Indiaโs first Sikh Prime Minister.
เคเค เคธเฅเคฌเคน เคเคพเคเคเฅเคฐเฅเคธ เค เคงเฅเคฏเคเฅเคท เคจเฅ เคชเฅเคฐเคงเคพเคจเคฎเคเคคเฅเคฐเฅ เคเฅ เคชเคคเฅเคฐ เคฒเคฟเคเคเคฐ เคชเฅเคฐเคธเฅเคคเคพเคต เคฆเคฟเคฏเคพ เคฅเคพ เคเคฟ เคชเฅเคฐเฅเคต เคชเฅเคฐเคงเคพเคจเคฎเคเคคเฅเคฐเฅ เคกเฅ. เคฎเคจเคฎเฅเคนเคจ เคธเคฟเคเคน เคเคพ เค เคเคคเคฟเคฎ เคธเคเคธเฅเคเคพเคฐ เคเคธเฅ เคธเฅเคฅเคพเคจ เคชเคฐ เคเคฟเคฏเคพ เคเคพเค เคเคนเคพเค เคเคจเคเฅ เคตเคฟเคฐเคพเคธเคค เคเคพ เคธเคฎเฅเคฎเคพเคจ เคเคฐเคจเฅ เคเฅ เคฒเคฟเค เคเค เคธเฅเคฎเคพเคฐเค เคฌเคจเคพเคฏเคพ เคเคพ เคธเคเฅเฅค
เคนเคฎเคพเคฐเฅ เคฆเฅเคถ เคเฅ เคฒเฅเค เคฏเคน เคจเคนเฅเค เคธเคฎเค เคชเคพ เคฐเคนเฅ เคนเฅเค เคเคฟ เคญเคพเคฐเคค เคธเคฐเคเคพเคฐ เคเคจเคเฅ เคตเฅเคถเฅเคตเคฟเคโฆ
โ Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 27, 2024
In a post on X, he wrote, โThe people of our country cannot understand why the government failed to allocate a space befitting his global stature,โ. Countering these claims the BJP pointed out Congressโs negligence in building a memorial for former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao during their tenure. Furthermore, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the Congress Party of politicizing Singhโs legacy. BJPโs CR Kesavan also highlighted Congressโs past neglect of Rao.
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Amid the debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured Kharge that a memorial would be built after the necessary processes. This will include land acquisition and trust formation. Manmohan Singhโs funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning. The funeral will begin at the Congress headquarters. Several dignitaries, including President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi, are expected to attend.
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