Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid his last tribute to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence in Delhi. The Prime Minister also expressed condolences to the family of Manmohan Singh on his demise.
Prime Minister Modi described the demise of his predecessor Manmohan Singh as a great loss to the nation and praised his contribution in rising from a humble background to reach some of the most important positions in the country.
Describing him as a distinguished parliamentarian, Modi said Singh’s life is a reflection of his honesty and simplicity. Emphasizing his commitment towards reforms, the Prime Minister said that his contribution to the development of the country will always be remembered.
He said that his life will always serve as a lesson for future generations as to how one can rise above privations and struggles to achieve the heights of success.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister and BJP national president JP Nadda also paid last tribute to Manmohan Singh. Many Congress leaders including KC Venugopal were also present at the residence of the former Prime Minister.
Manmohan Singh died on Thursday evening at AIIMS, Delhi at the age of 92. He suddenly fainted at home due to age-related ailments, after which he was taken to AIIMS, Delhi.
The mortal remains of the former Prime Minister will be kept at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi for public viewing.
According to Congress party sources, the last darshan will take place between 8 am and 10 am on Saturday. All party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, will pay tribute to the former prime minister at the AICC office, after which his last rites will be performed.
Singh, famous for initiating the 1991 economic liberalization reforms as India’s finance minister, will be cremated near Rajghat, where prime ministers are cremated.
Many politicians and personalities from various fields have expressed grief over the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night condoled the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying India mourns the demise of one of its most revered leaders.
Manmohan Singh was born on 26 September 1932. Apart from being an economist, Manmohan Singh served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 1982–1985. He was the 13th Prime Minister of India with his tenure from 2004–2014 and the longest serving Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.
Serving as the Finance Minister of India in the government of PV Narasimha Rao, Singh is credited with economic liberalization in the country in 1991. The reforms made the Indian economy more accessible to foreign investors, leading to increased FDI and reduced government controls. It contributed greatly to the economic growth of the country.
Manmohan Singh’s government also introduced the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), later known as MGNREGA.
The Right to Information Act (RTI) was passed in 2005 under the Manmohan Singh government, improving transparency of information between the government and the public. Dr. Manmohan Singh retired earlier this year after serving in the Rajya Sabha for 33 years.
