The BJP on Saturday hit out at Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of trying to politicise the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
The reaction of the saffron party came after Rahul Gandhi accused the Union government of “insulting” Dr Singh by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated memorial site for national leaders.
Hitting out at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra while addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar said if someone has “damaged the dignity” of the former Finance Minister it’s Congress party.
“This is a new low in politics of India, thanks to the Congress party. Due to the Congress party – we are here to have a press conference on the day when the last rites of the former prime minister were done… BJP believes that there has to be dignity in death,” Patra said.
He added that after the passing of the former Prime Minister, the Cabinet had sent a letter to the Congress and Manmohan Singh’s family, expressing the government’s intent to build a memorial in his honour.
“The kind of politics Congress is doing, especially Rahul Gandhi who has tweeted accusing BJP of disrespecting former PM Manmohan Singh by conducting his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat. You all should know the truth behind it. We – in a cabinet meeting after the demise of the former PM Manmohan Singh – decided that since he was the PM and had a big stature – the cabinet wrote a letter to Congress and Dr Singh’s family – where the cabinet said that we should build a memorial in his name so that the country and the world remember him for his positive works,” Patra said.
The BJP leader said that on a day of mourning the Congress should have refrained from this kind of politics.
“There is a procedure to build a memorial but cremation is a process that can’t wait… It was a direct communication that our party had extended. But, after that, the kind of politics Congress did, it shouldn’t have been done on the day of grief. I want to tell the Congress and its supporters who are saying absurd things – while being in office if someone has damaged the dignity of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh – it’s Congress party,” Patra added.
Earlier in the day, in a post on X, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “The great son of Mother India and the first Sikh Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh Ji, has been insulted by the present government by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat. During his decade-long tenure, India emerged as an economic superpower, and his policies continue to support the poor and marginalised sections of society.”
The Congress leader added, “Traditionally, all former Prime Ministers of India have been accorded the dignity of having their last rites performed at designated memorial sites. These sites not only honour their immense contributions but also provide citizens the opportunity to pay their last respects without inconvenience. Dr Manmohan Singh, a visionary leader and an icon of his community, deserved the highest respect and a memorial. The government should have upheld this tradition and paid due homage to this great son of India.”