New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh were brought to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters on Saturday morning, where senior Congress leaders and party workers gathered to bid a final farewell to their stalwart leader.
Prominent Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi, and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were among those who reached the party headquarters to pay their heartfelt tributes to the former Prime Minister.
Dr Singh's last rites will be conducted with full state honours at Nigam Bodh Ghat, a public cremation ground in Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other senior leaders are expected to attend the funeral later in the day.
His mortal remains will be kept at the Congress headquarters to allow party workers and supporters to offer floral tributes. Following this, his final journey to the cremation ground will commence.
"Dr Manmohan Singh's final journey to the heavenly abode will begin from AICC HQ to the cremation ground after 9:30 AM on Saturday, " according to sources familiar with the arrangements for his last rites.
As a mark of respect, a half-day holiday has been declared in all Central Government offices and CPSUs.
Dr Manmohan Singh, who served as India's 14th Prime Minister and was regarded as one of the nation's most renowned economists, passed away at the age of 92 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday night.
Known as the "architect of India's economic reforms, " Dr. Singh led the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as Prime Minister for two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2014.
To honour his legacy, a seven-day period of national mourning has been announced until January 1, 2025. During this period, the National Flag will fly at half-mast across the country and at Indian Missions and High Commissions abroad.
The Congress has also cancelled all official programmes, including its Foundation Day celebrations, during the mourning period. Activities will resume on January 3.
Meanwhile, a controversy has surfaced regarding the allocation of space for Dr Singh's memorial. Congress leaders criticised the decision to perform the last rites at Nigam Bodh Ghat instead of a location where a memorial could be established.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has reportedly spoken with Prime Minister Modi to discuss the possibility of creating a memorial at the same site where Dr Singh's last rites are to be held.
The Centre has clarified that a memorial will be allocated but stated that forming a trust and designating space for the memorial will take time. In the interim, the cremation and other formalities will proceed as planned.
Dr Singh's passing has elicited tributes from across the political spectrum, underscoring his contributions as a leader who played a pivotal role in shaping modern India’s economic and political landscape.