New Delhi, 28 December 2024: The Union government will set aside space for a memorial honoring former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed in a late-night statement on Friday. The decision has been conveyed to Singh’s family and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The ministry’s statement, titled “Facts of the Matter Regarding Memorial for Former Prime Minister Late Dr. Manmohan Singh,” revealed that Kharge had formally requested the government to allocate space for the memorial. Following a Cabinet meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah personally informed Singh’s family and Kharge about the decision.
“The cremation and related formalities can proceed while arrangements for the memorial and its trust are finalized,” the ministry stated.
Manmohan Singh, remembered as the architect of key economic reforms and leader of the UPA government for a decade, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. He served as India’s prime minister from 2004 to 2014.
The Congress criticized the delay in securing a location for Singh’s cremation and memorial, calling it a “deliberate affront” to India’s first Sikh prime minister. This comes after the home ministry announced that Singh’s last rites will be conducted with full state honors at Nigambodh Ghat on Saturday at 11:45 a.m