The Congress on Saturday intensified its assault on the Union authorities over each the dealing with of former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s funeral at Nigambodh Ghat and the persevering with uncertainty over his memorial web site, alleging a sequence of protocol breaches and “deliberate disrespect” to India’s first Sikh prime minister.
Additionally Learn: 1000’s pay tearful final respects to Manmohan Singh
By late night, the controversy snowballed into a serious political row as senior Congress chief KC Venugopal accused the federal government of being “hell bent on diminishing Singh’s stature for petty political causes”, after BJP president JP Nadda alleged it was the Congress that had “tarnished the dignity of the Prime Minister’s workplace” throughout Singh’s tenure.
Nadda was reacting to a rising refrain of anger from Congress chief. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera detailed a number of alleged lapses in the course of the ceremony, together with restricted media entry, insufficient seating for relations, and protocol violations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cupboard in the course of the ceremony.
“The disgraceful therapy of a towering statesman exposes the federal government’s priorities and lack of respect for democratic values,” Khera stated in a submit on X, highlighting that solely Doordarshan was allowed to cowl the occasion, with its protection focusing totally on Modi and residential minister Amit Shah quite than Singh’s household.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi described the federal government’s resolution to conduct the final rites at Nigambodh Ghat as a “whole insult” to India’s first Sikh prime minister. “The federal government ought to have proven respect to this nice son of the nation and his proud group,” Gandhi wrote on X.
Senior Congress chief Shashi Tharoor, in a submit on X that he made after the ceremony, famous: “It was tough to see very a lot, past the backs of the heads of varied dignitaries and shut kinfolk of the departed soul, so it turned extra of an event to mirror on the life and legacy of the late nice PM.”
Among the many particular allegations raised by the Congress have been that solely three chairs have been organized within the entrance row for Singh’s household, with celebration leaders having to intervene to safe seating for his daughters and different relations. The celebration additionally claimed that Modi and his ministers remained seated throughout essential moments, together with when the nationwide flag was introduced to Singh’s widow and in the course of the gun salute.
Venugopal sharpened the assault, stating, “The makes an attempt to chop corners have been for all to see, and there have been many situations the place the household was insulted and the general dignity and protocol befitting Dr. Singh’s stature was utterly missing.” He added that “India won’t ever forgive the PM and his Authorities for taking part in politics during the last rites.”
Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal joined the criticism, questioning the BJP authorities’s incapability to offer “even 1,000 sq. yards of land” for the final rites of a two-term prime minister who was “famend worldwide.”
In keeping with Khera, Shah’s motorcade disrupted the funeral procession, leading to household automobiles being left outdoors. The state of affairs was reportedly so cramped that Singh’s grandchildren needed to “jostle for area” to succeed in the pyre for performing the final rites.
The primary BJP response got here by Sambit Patra earlier within the day, who accused the Congress of politicising the difficulty, earlier than Nadda addressed the difficulty, reiterating his colleague’s allegation.
Nadda accused the Congress of historic disrespect towards nationwide leaders, stating, “Whether or not it’s Baba Saheb Ambedkar, the nation’s first President Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, PV Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, or Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Congress and the Gandhi household have persistently disrespected these leaders.”
Additionally Learn: BJP accuses Congress of politicising Manmohan Singh’s dying
The allegations come towards the backdrop of an ongoing dispute over the memorial web site. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had on Friday written to Modi requesting a devoted memorial web site, noting the precedent of getting memorials on the funeral areas of former prime ministers.
The Centre had responded Friday with an announcement promising to allocate area for a memorial following due procedures.
Singh, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2014 and was extensively revered for his position in liberalising India’s economic system as finance minister in 1991, handed away on Thursday at 92. He was accorded a state funeral, although Congress leaders argue the preparations fell wanting the dignity befitting his stature.
The diplomatic implications of the alleged protocol breaches have been additionally highlighted by the Congress, with Khera noting that diplomats have been “seated elsewhere and weren’t seen” in the course of the ceremony. He particularly identified that the prime minister “didn’t stand when the King of Bhutan stood,” suggesting a breach of diplomatic protocol.
