Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Saturday alleged that the government unnecessarily created controversy over the funeral and memorial of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He said that the government itself should have come forward and taken action on this.
Chief Minister Gehlot told reporters…
Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Gehlot told reporters, “Bhairon Singh Shekhawat ji of Rajasthan was the Vice President, he remained in BJP throughout his life. BJP was not demanding, yet we (while in government) performed the last rites with full respect and built the statue. People still appreciate that decision.”
He said, “Manmohan Singh had influence in the world. Barack Obama had said that when Manmohan Singh spoke, the world listened. Be it liberalisation, economic revolution, India-US nuclear deal, his personality was so immense that it cannot be defined in words.
Gehlot said that if the present government itself had come forward for this, there would not have been any controversy. He said that the government unnecessarily created controversy and was blaming Congress only. Questioning the government’s decision to hold the cremation at Nigambodh Ghat, the Congress had on Friday said that Singh’s last rites should be held at a place where his memorial can also be built.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh had alleged that not finding a place for Singh’s cremation and memorial was a deliberate insult to India’s first Sikh Prime Minister. Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry had said on Friday night that the government will allot space for a memorial to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
