Pawan Khera Addresses Absence of Gandhis and Congress Leaders During Manmohan Singh's Ash Immersion for Family's Privacy
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New Delhi, Dec 30 (NationPress) – In light of the recent ashes immersion ceremonies for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the BJP seized the opportunity to criticize the Congress party and the Gandhi family for their absence. On Monday, Pawan Khera provided an explanation, stating they intentionally chose not to attend in order to grant privacy to the family.
The Congress communications in-charge clarified that senior party leaders refrained from joining the family during the gathering and immersion of Manmohan Singh's ashes out of respect for their privacy. However, both Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi paid a visit to the family at their home following the cremation to share in their sorrow.
Khera elaborated on the decision of the Gandhis and party leaders to forgo the ceremony, explaining, “It was deemed appropriate to offer the family the privacy they lacked during the cremation, particularly since some extended family members could not reach the pyre. The immersion of ashes is an emotionally taxing and challenging ceremony for close relatives.”
The ashes of the former Prime Minister were immersed in the Yamuna River near the Majnu ka Tila Gurdwara on Sunday, in accordance with Sikh traditions. The ashes were taken to the ‘Asht Ghat’ next to the gurudwara, while the conspicuous absentees included the Gandhi family and Congress representatives.
Following the immersion, prominent BJP leaders criticized the Congress leadership, accusing them of hypocrisy and suggesting that their expressions of grief were merely for media attention.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya condemned the Congress and its leaders for not accompanying Singh’s family to collect the ashes at the cremation site. “It’s disheartening to witness that not a single member of Congress or the Gandhi family attended to collect the remains of Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. While they were present for media coverage, they were absent when it came to honoring him with dignity. Truly shameful,” Malviya expressed on ‘X’.
Another senior BJP leader, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, similarly criticized the Congress leaders for their absence during the rituals.
In response, a Congress spokesperson speaking with IANS rebuked the BJP, claiming they were inciting an unnecessary controversy during a time of mourning for the family. “Such moments necessitate personal space and privacy for grieving the loss of loved ones. It’s unfortunate that the BJP is attempting to politicize this matter,” he stated, urging the party to allow the family the space they need and to avoid twisting every issue for political gain.
