New Delhi: The state funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Nigambodh Ghat on Saturday, December 28, has stirred controversy, with the Congress accusing the government of mismanagement and disrespect during the solemn ceremony.
The funeral procession began at the All India Congress Committee headquarters, with Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leaders accompanying the casket in an Army truck, while Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge followed in a separate vehicle. Congress workers chanted slogans as the cortège proceeded to the cremation site.
At Nigambodh Ghat, the event was attended by several dignitaries, including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and international representatives such as the King of Bhutan and the foreign minister of Mauritius.
Also read: A Prime Minister of Quiet Strength: Remembering Manmohan Singh
However, tensions arose when mediapersons accompanying the procession were barred from entering the funeral site. Only Doordarshan cameras were granted access, leading to criticism from the Congress that the coverage disproportionately focused on members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with limited visibility of Congress leaders and Singh’s family.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the government of “narrow-mindedness” in a post on X, highlighting the struggles of Singh’s family to secure space at the funeral site. “By not providing an adequate place for the cremation of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the government has not done justice to the dignity of the post of former prime minister, the personality of Manmohan Singh, his legacy and the self-respecting Sikh community,” she wrote.
पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री डॉ मनमोहन सिंह जी के अंतिम संस्कार के लिए यथोचित स्थान न उपलब्ध कराकर सरकार ने पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री के पद की गरिमा, मनमोहन सिंह जी की शख्सियत, उनकी विरासत और खुद्दार सिख समुदाय के साथ न्याय नहीं किया।
इससे पहले सभी पूर्व प्रधानमंत्रियों को सर्वोच्च सम्मान और…
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 28, 2024
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Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera issued a statement alleging several lapses, including inadequate seating for Singh’s family members, insufficient space near the pyre and a lack of decorum during key moments, such as the handing over of the national flag to Singh’s widow and the gun salute.
Khera also accused the government of sidelining Singh’s family and Congress leaders in favour of BJP leaders during the telecast, asserting that diplomats and other attendees were obscured in the broadcast. He further alleged that Union home minister Amit Shah’s motorcade disrupted the funeral procession and that security arrangements led to Singh’s family cars being temporarily left outside the venue.
The state funeral of Dr. Manmohan Singh was a shocking display of disrespect and mismanagement –
Advertisement▪️No news agencies except DD were allowed; DD focused on Modi & Shah, barely covering Dr. Manmohan Singh’s family.
▪️Only 3 chairs were kept in the front row for Dr. Singh’s family.…
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) December 28, 2024
“Only 3 chairs were kept in the front row for Dr. Singh’s family. Congress leaders had to insist on seats for his daughters and other family members,” Khera claimed.
“PM & ministers did not stand up when the national flag was handed to the widow of the late prime minister, or during the gun salute. The family was given inadequate space around the pyre due to soldiers occupying one side,” Khera posted on X.
