Cong damaged dignity of Dr Singh, now playing politics in his name: BJP

Reiterating the Bharatiya Janata Party's belief in "dignity in death," party MP Sambit Patra on Saturday attacked Congress for indulging in "politics" over the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said that if someone has "damaged the dignity" of former Finance Minister it's Congress party.

"This is a new low in politics of India, thanks to the Congress party. Due to the Congres party - we are here to have a press conference on the day when the last rites of the former prime minister were done... BJP believes that there has to be dignity in death," Patra said addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar. 

Patra further added that after the passing of the former Prime Minister, the Cabinet had sent a letter to the Congress and Manmohan Singh's family, expressing the government's intent to build a memorial in his honour.

"The kind of politics Congress is doing, especially Rahul Gandhi who has tweeted accusing BJP of disrespecting former PM Manmohan Singh by conducting his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat. You all should know the truth behind it. We in a cabinet meeting after the demise of the former PM Manmohan Singh - decided that since he was the PM and had a big stature - the cabinet wrote a letter to Congress and Dr Singh's family - where the cabinet said that we should build a memorial in his name so that the country and the world remember him for his positive works," he added.

The BJP leader said that on a day of mourning the Congress should have refrained from this kind of politics. 

"There is a procedure to build a memorial but cremation is a process that can't wait... It was a direct communication that our party had extended. But, after that, the kind of politics Congress did, it shouldn't have been done on the day of grief. I want to tell the Congress and its supporters who are saying absurd things - while being in office if someone who has damaged the dignity of former PM Manmohan Singh - it's Congress party," Patra said.

Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi attacked the central government for performing the last rites of Manmohan Singh at Nigambodh Ghat and said that the former Finance Minister deserves the "highest respect and a memorial."

"The great son of 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 today at the Nigambodh Ghat," Rahul Gandhi posted on X.

He further said that he was the Prime Minister of India for a decade, during his tenure the country became an "economic superpower" and his policies still support the poor and backward classes of the country.

"Till date, respecting the dignity of all former Prime Ministers, their last rites were performed at authorized 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 added.

Congress had demanded a funeral in a place where a memorial to Singh could be built. However, the Centre said land for a memorial would be earmarked in the next few days. But it would not be the place where the funeral took place. The Congress called it a "deliberate insult to the first Sikh Prime Minister of India."

After the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Congress President Kharge and the family of the late Manmohan Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial. In the meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it.

Manmohan Singh was accorded a state funeral with full military honours at the Nigam Bodh Ghat, a public cremation ground in north Delhi, on Saturday.

Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the hospital.