Congress Pays Tribute to the Esteemed Dr. Manmohan Singh at Party Headquarters
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New Delhi, Dec 28 (NationPress) The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh were transported to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters on Saturday morning. Senior Congress leaders and party workers convened to express their final respects to their esteemed leader.
Among the prominent Congress figures present were Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha; Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President; Sonia Gandhi, Rajya Sabha MP; and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP, who came to pay their heartfelt tributes to the former Prime Minister.
Dr. Singh's final rites are set to take place with full state honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat, a public cremation site in Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other senior leaders are anticipated to attend the funeral later in the day.
His mortal remains will be available at the Congress headquarters for party workers and supporters to offer floral tributes. Following this, his final procession to the cremation ground will begin.
"Dr. Manmohan Singh's final journey to the heavenly abode will commence from AICC HQ to the cremation ground post 9:30 AM on Saturday," as per sources acquainted with the arrangements for his last rites.
As a tribute, a half-day holiday has been declared in all Central Government offices and CPSUs.
Dr. Manmohan Singh, who held the position of India's 14th Prime Minister and was recognized as one of the nation's most distinguished economists, passed away at the age of 92 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday night.
Revered as the architect of India's economic reforms, Dr. Singh led the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as Prime Minister for two successive terms from 2004 to 2014.
To commemorate his legacy, a period of seven days of national mourning has been declared until January 1, 2025. During this time, the National Flag will fly at half-mast throughout the country and at Indian Missions and High Commissions internationally.
The Congress has also canceled all official programs, including its Foundation Day celebrations, during the mourning period, with activities set to resume on January 3.
Meanwhile, a controversy has arisen regarding the allocation of space for Dr. Singh's memorial. Congress leaders have criticized the choice of performing the last rites at Nigam Bodh Ghat instead of a site where a memorial could be established.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has reportedly communicated with Prime Minister Modi to explore the possibility of establishing a memorial at the same location where Dr. Singh's last rites are to occur.
The Centre has confirmed that a memorial will be designated but has mentioned that forming a trust and allocating space for the memorial will require time. In the meantime, the cremation and other formalities will proceed as scheduled.
Dr. Singh's passing has prompted tributes from across the political spectrum, highlighting his significant contributions as a leader who played a crucial role in shaping the modern economic and political landscape of India.
