The Indian government has initiated the process of identifying a location for a memorial dedicated to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 28, 2024. Singh, remembered for leading India through significant economic reforms in the 1990s, was cremated with full state honours.
According to reports from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), officials have conducted preliminary site visits near the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, marking possible locations for the memorial. The government is consulting with Singh’s family to finalize the location, with several options currently under consideration.
The Centre has communicated its intent to establish a memorial and plans to set up a trust to manage the site once a location is selected. However, no site has been confirmed as of yet, and decisions will be made in consultation with the former prime minister’s family.
Meanwhile, political tensions have erupted between the Congress and BJP over the arrangements for Singh’s funeral. Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, criticized the BJP for holding the cremation at Delhi’s Nigambodh Ghat, arguing that it lacked the dignity fitting for a former prime minister, particularly one from the Sikh community.
In response, BJP leaders accused Congress of politicizing Singh’s death. BJP chief JP Nadda condemned the opposition party, stating that Congress had shown little respect for Singh during his tenure and was now exploiting the situation for political gain.
