Congress Slams BJP for Disrespect at Manmohan Singh’s Funeral

In a scathing attack launched on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Supriya Shrinate condemned the party for the treatment meted out to former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, following his death. Shrinate accused BJP leaders, including party president J.P. Nadda, of displaying pettiness and disrespect towards the late leader and his family.

Sharing a video on platform ‘X’, Shrinate said, “Nadda ji, you have stooped to pettiness - and behind you is an army of uncivilized, rude ministers, MPs, and ill-minded spokespersons!”

She pointed out that despite Dr. Singh’s immense contribution to the country, there was a lack of respect for him at the time of his funeral. “In this hour of grief, you could not pay respect to Sardar Manmohan Singh. But the world is watching the venom you are spitting with your eyes and all the gestures you are making, the choice of words you are using,” she remarked.

Shrinate also highlighted the disrespect shown during Dr. Singh's cremation at Nigambodh Ghat, stating that no Prime Minister had been cremated there before. "By cremating Manmohan Singh at Nigambodh Ghat, where no Prime Minister has been cremated till date, you have proved that you have no respect for a former Prime Minister of this country, the first Sikh Prime Minister,” she added.

The Congress leader also detailed several instances of disrespect during the funeral proceedings, explaining how key BJP leaders occupied the front row, leaving limited space for Dr. Singh's family members.

“The entire front row was occupied by Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju, Om Birla, Jagdeep Dhankhar and His Excellency the President. Two chairs were barely left on the side for the family members," she said.

Shrinate further criticized the lack of space for the family, stating that even the opportunity to pay floral tribute was limited. "Due to lack of space, even the family members were deprived of paying floral tribute. The common man had to be content with paying tribute from outside the Nigambodh Ghat," she explained.

She also mentioned the disrespect shown by BJP leaders in the past, recalling derogatory remarks made by Narendra Modi. "These same BJP members made fun of his name, his gait, even his speech. Narendra Modi himself called such a decent person 'Maun Mohan' from the stage," Shrinate said.

“The fact is that after his death, Dr. Manmohan Singh has further exposed the failures and hollowness of people like you who are in power,” she asserted.

In closing, Shrinate highlighted that the true value of Dr. Singh's life and work is being recognized far beyond the BJP's attempts at propaganda. "Not the false propaganda spread by your hard work of millions of rupees - but the knowledge of Sardar Manmohan Singh, his dedication to the country, his decency and his dignity are being discussed," she added.

▪️नड्डा जी, आप तो टुच्चई पे उतर आए - और आपके पीछे-पीछे असभ्य, अशिष्ट मंत्रियों, सांसदों और बददिमाग़ प्रवक्ताओं की फौज भी!

▪️आप सब मिलकर और ज़्यादा उच्छिद्रता और टुच्चई कीजिए - देश भी तो आपका असली रूप देखे

▪️शोक की इस घड़ी में आप सरदार मनमोहन सिंह को सम्मान तो न दे सके. लेकिन… pic.twitter.com/fJUP3lSofW

— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 29, 2024

On the other hand, in a statement issued by senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, he clarified the party's decision to refrain from accompanying the family of late Manmohan Singh for the immersion of his ashes. Khera emphasized that senior Congress leaders chose not to participate in the ceremony out of respect for the family's privacy during a difficult time.

Khera stated, “Senior Congress leaders did not accompany the family to gather and immerse the ashes of S. Manmohan Singh ji out of our deference to the privacy of the family.” He further explained that after the cremation of the beloved leader, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met the family at their residence.

Following discussions with the family, it was felt that the emotional and private nature of the ashes immersion ceremony required some space for the close family members, particularly as some relatives had been unable to reach the cremation site due to the lack of privacy. Khera added, “It would be appropriate to give them some privacy for the Phool Chunana and the immersion of the ashes, which is an emotionally painful and difficult ceremony for close family members.”