New Delhi, Dec 28 BJP National Spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Saturday slammed the Congress party for engaging in what he termed "dirty politics" following the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Speaking to IANS, he also reaffirmed the Modi government's commitment to allocating space for a memorial in honour of the late leader.
Dr Manmohan Singh, India's 14th Prime Minister and a globally acclaimed economist, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Known as the "architect of India's economic reforms," Dr Singh served as Prime Minister for two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2014, leading the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Addressing the controversy around demands for a memorial in his name, Trivedi said, "The entire nation is mourning the passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The BJP-led NDA government is committed to building a memorial in his honour and this decision has been conveyed to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge by Union Home Minister Amit Shah."
Accusing Congress of "playing dirty politics" over the issue, Trivedi said, "Everyone is aware that when Dr Manmohan Singh was alive, he did not get proper respect from the Congress and now condemnable politics is being done after his demise."
"Dr. Manmohan Singh was the first Prime Minister of Congress, outside the Nehru-Gandhi family, who led the country for 10 years. Everyone knows what the Congress did with former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, who was the first PM outside the Nehru-Gandhi family," he said, adding that it has been the "nature of Congress that no leader outside their family is given due respect."
He further pointed to 'historically neglect' of several leaders, citing examples of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and Pranab Mukherjee.
"It is unfortunate that Congress is using this solemn occasion for political mileage. Their actions are not new, as seen in the case of late President Pranab Mukherjee, whose daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee, criticised the party for not organising a condolence meeting after his demise," he added.
Trivedi further emphasised that the BJP respects Dr Singh's legacy and accused Congress of hypocrisy.
"Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the government has risen above party lines, conferring Bharat Ratna awards on Congress leaders like Madan Mohan Malaviya, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and Pranab Mukherjee. Padma awards have also been given to Congress stalwarts such as S.C. Jamir and Tarun Gogoi," he said.
"The sad truth is that everyone knows how Dr Manmohan Singh was treated during his lifetime, and now the Congress is playing politics after his passing. The NDA government, on the other hand, has always honoured leaders who have contributed to India's progress," he added.
Earlier in the day, Dr Singh's last rites were conducted with full state honours at Delhi's Nigam Bodh Ghat.
The ‘politics’ over Dr Manmohan Singh’s memorial began as Congress leaders criticised the decision to perform the last rites at Nigam Bodh Ghat, arguing that a designated memorial site should have been identified.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter to government yesterday, seeking a dedicated space for the memorial.
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