The BJP on Saturday launched a strong counter-attack against the Congress over allegations of disrespect during former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s funeral, with party president JP Nadda accusing both former and current Congress presidents of politicising the death.
The response came after Congress leaders alleged protocol breaches and poor arrangements at Singh’s funeral at Nigambodh Ghat, with the party expressing its anger over the last rites not being carried out at what can be turned into a dedicated memorial site.
“This is the same Congress that tarnished the dignity of the Prime Minister’s office by placing Sonia Gandhi as a super Prime Minister above PM Manmohan Singh,” Nadda said, accusing the Congress of failing to show respect to Singh while he was alive.
He cited historical instances to buttress his point, recalling when Rahul Gandhi tore up an ordinance related in 2013. “Whether it is from the Congress or the Opposition, whether it is Babasaheb Ambedkar, the country’s first President Rajendra Babu, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri, PV Narasimha Rao, Pranab Da, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Congress and the Gandhi family have always disrespected them,” Nadda stated.
The BJP president specifically highlighted how Sonia Gandhi had “rejected” demands for a memorial to former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao in Delhi’s Rajghat complex. “It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who established a memorial for him in 2015,” he noted.
Earlier, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, defended the government’s handling of the funeral arrangements. “It is unfortunate that the BJP has to address a press conference on the subject… since his death, the Centre has been preparing to construct a memorial for him,” Patra said.
He explained that while a memorial was planned, immediate matters had to be addressed. “A cabinet meeting was called and a condolence message was issued. The cabinet has informed both Dr Singh’s family and the Congress that a memorial will be built… However, time is needed for land acquisition, forming a trust and other formalities. At the same time, cremation should be done as it cannot wait,” he added.
Nadda pointed out that it was the previous UPA government that had decided to construct a national memorial rather than separate memorials for individual leaders.
The BJP’s response came after a day of intense criticism from Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, who accused the government of being “hell bent on diminishing his stature for their petty political reasons,” and Rahul Gandhi, who termed the arrangements a “total insult” to India’s first Sikh prime minister.
Singh, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on Thursday at 92. He was accorded a state funeral at Nigambodh Ghat on Saturday.