India Bids Farewell to Manmohan Singh: Daughter Lights Pyre, Full State Honours Accorded

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi on Saturday, December 28, 2024. Sikh priests recited verses from Gurbani alongside Singh’s family members before his last rites. Dr. Singh’s daughter lit the funeral pyre, marking the final farewell to India’s first Sikh Prime Minister.

The mortal remains of Dr. Singh arrived at Nigambodh Ghat around 11:30 a.m. in a procession that began earlier in the day from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters. Congress leaders, workers, and hundreds of well-wishers accompanied the flower-bedecked vehicle carrying Dr. Singh’s body, chanting slogans like “Manmohan Singh amar rahe” and “Jab tak suraj chand rahega, tab tak tera naam rahega.”

Prominent Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, paid their last respects at the AICC headquarters before the procession. The mortal remains were kept at the headquarters for an hour to allow party leaders and well-wishers to bid farewell. Dr. Singh’s wife, Gursharan Kaur, and one of his daughters laid wreaths as a final tribute.

Rahul Gandhi accompanied the procession alongside Dr. Singh’s relatives, reflecting the profound respect within the party for the former Prime Minister’s legacy.

The Government of India has announced a seven-day national mourning period to honour Dr. Singh. During this time, the national flag will fly at half-mast across the country.

In a significant development, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to allocate space for a memorial dedicated to Dr. Singh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah conveyed the decision to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge following a Cabinet meeting.

The Congress Party had earlier expressed concerns over the location of Dr. Singh’s cremation, emphasizing the need for a memorial at a significant site to honour his contributions. The Government’s decision to allocate space for the memorial addresses these concerns and ensures a lasting tribute to Dr. Singh’s enduring legacy.

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