Mayawati Urges Centre to Honor Dr. Singh's Legacy with Memorial for Sikh Community
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Lucknow, Dec 28 (NationPress) The National President of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Mayawati, has urged the Central government to create a memorial in honor of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Dr. Singh, who served as India's 14th Prime Minister and was highly regarded as an economist, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Revered as the 'Architect of India's economic reforms', he held two consecutive terms as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, leading the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The final rites will take place with full state honors at Delhi's Nigam Bodh Ghat, a public cremation ground, where President Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other prominent leaders are anticipated to be present.
In a post on X, Mayawati expressed, "Following the passing of Dr. Manmohan Singh, the first Sikh Prime Minister of our nation, the Central Government must ensure his last rites are conducted with due respect, and a memorial should be erected at a location that fulfills his family's heartfelt wishes."
She further stated, "It is inappropriate to politicize this matter, and it would be wise for the Central Government to honor the sentiments of both the family and the Sikh community."
This statement follows a similar appeal from the Congress, urging the government to establish a memorial at the site of the funeral.
A controversy arose regarding the allocation of land for Dr. Singh's memorial, as Congress leaders criticized the choice of Nigam Bodh Ghat for his cremation instead of a site suitable for a memorial.
Reportedly, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has reached out to Prime Minister Modi to discuss the potential for a memorial at the site of Dr. Singh's final rites.
The core issue revolves around the Congress' request for a dedicated memorial site, despite previous Congress-led administrations establishing a communal memorial, Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, for the cremation of VVIPs.
This location, situated between the memorials of Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri, has served as the site for the last rites of former Prime Ministers since 2013, including the cremation of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2018.
The Centre has indicated that a memorial will eventually be designated, but has noted that the formation of a trust and the allocation of space will require time. Meanwhile, the cremation and related formalities will proceed as scheduled.
