On a day when former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s mortal remains were consigned to flames, a war of words erupted between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party over the cremation site.
The opposition party accused the Narendra Modi government of insulting Singh, India’s first Sikh prime minister, by conducting his funeral at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated memorial site.
Singh was “totally insulted” by the government, said Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.
“The great son of Mother India and the first prime minister of the Sikh community, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji, has been totally insulted by the present government by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat,” the Congress leader said in a post on X.
The Raebareli MP described Singh as a leader whose policies elevated India to an economic superpower and provided critical support to the underprivileged.
“Till date, respecting the dignity of all former Prime Ministers, their last rites were performed at authorised burial sites so that every person could have the last darshan and pay homage without any inconvenience. Dr. Manmohan Singh deserves our highest respect and a memorial. The government should have shown respect to this great son of the country and his proud community,” he said in post in Hindi.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the Centre failed to do justice to the dignity of Singh’s post, his personality and his legacy, by denying an appropriate place for his cremation.
All former prime ministers had been given the highest honour and respect, she said.
"Dr Manmohan Singhji deserves this honour and a Samadhi Sthal. Today, the whole world is remembering his contributions. The government should have thought beyond politics and narrow-mindedness in this matter," the Wayanad MP wrote on X.
"This morning, I felt this when I saw Dr Manmohan Singhji's family members struggling for a place at the funeral site, trying to find a place in the crowd, and the general public getting troubled due to the lack of space and paying tributes from the road outside," she further said.
On Friday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a designated site to set up a memorial for the late PM. The government has agreed to allot a space for a memorial for Singh, but decided to conduct the last rites as scheduled at Nigambodh Ghat because a Trust has to be formed for finding a new place.
BJP hits back
The BJP, meanwhile, accused the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics over the funeral of Singh.
"It is unfortunate that the BJP has to address a press conference on the subject relating to the funeral of Dr Singh... since his death, the Centre has been preparing to construct a memorial for him," said BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra.
"A cabinet meeting was called and a condolence message was issued. It was also decided to pay proper respects to the former PM befitting to his stature. The cabinet has informed both Dr Singh's family and the Congress that a memorial will be built so that everyone can remember his positive contribution. However, time is needed for land acquisition, forming a trust and other formalities. At the same time, cremation should be done as it cannot wait," he said.
Patra also alleged that the Congress had "insulted" former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and ex-president Pranab Mukherjee in the past.