NEW DELHI: The war of words over former PM Manmohan Singh’s funeral continued on Monday with Congress countering BJP’s attack by saying its senior functionaries did not accompany Singh’s family to gather and immerse his ashes “out of our deference to the privacy of the family“.
Singh’s ashes were immersed in the Yamuna at ‘Asth Ghat’ near Majnu ka Tila Gurdwara in north Delhi on Sunday follwing Sikh rituals. Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur and their three daughters – Upinder Singh, Daman Singh and Amrit Singh – along with other members of the family were present.
In a statement, chairman of media and publicity department of AICC Pawan Khera said after the cremation of “our beloved departed leader”, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at their residence.
“After discussing with them, it was felt that since the family did not get any privacy at the time of the cremation and some extended family members could not reach the pyre site, it would be appropriate to give them some privacy for the ‘phool chunana’ and the immersion of ashes which is an emotionally painful and difficult ceremony for close family members,” Khera added.
On Sunday, BJP had attacked Congress, with its I-T department chief Amit Malviya saying on X, “Very sad to see that not a single member of Congress or the Gandhi family showed up to collect the remains of Manmohan Singh ji. For media attention and to politicise, Congress was present, but when it came to honouring him with dignity, they were absent. Truly shameful.” BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa was seen along with Singh’s family members collecting his remains.
Congress and BJP have been engaged in a war of words over Singh’s last rites and the setting up of a memorial. The party, along with LoP Rahul Gandhi, has alleged that BJP-led govt insulted the former PM by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat.
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