Government Offers Land for Manmohan Singh’s Memorial
The central government has offered land to the family of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the Rajghat complex for a memorial. This news comes after discussions about a suitable location for the memorial following Mr. Singh’s passing in December 2023. The offered plot is next to the memorial of former President Pranab Mukherjee.
Waiting for Family Trust
Government sources say they are waiting for the family to establish a trust. Once the trust is formed, the land will be officially allocated. The government will also provide Rs 25 lakh to the trust for the construction of the memorial.
Manmohan Singh’s Legacy
[[Manmohan Singh]] served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014. He is widely recognized for his contributions to India’s economic reforms in 1991 as finance minister, which opened up the country’s economy. These groundbreaking reforms had a lasting impact on the country’s economic landscape.
Previous Controversy
After Mr. Singh’s death, there was some political debate. The Congress party criticized the government for not finding a location for the memorial sooner. The BJP, in response, pointed out that the Congress had not built a memorial for former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Pranab Mukherjee’s Memorial
Last month, the government allocated land for Pranab Mukherjee’s memorial. Mukherjee, who passed away in 2020, served as president during Manmohan Singh’s time as prime minister. His daughter, Sharmistha Mukherjee, expressed gratitude for the government’s decision, highlighting that it was an unexpected but welcome gesture. She had earlier criticized the Congress party for their stance on Mr. Singh’s memorial while noting their lack of action regarding a memorial for her father. This latest development regarding Mr. Singh’s memorial should bring an end to the earlier controversy.
Memorial Location
The designated plot for Mr. Singh’s memorial is located within the ‘Rashtriya Samiti’ complex in the Rajghat precinct in Delhi, a significant area dedicated to memorials of national leaders.
