Commoners gather outside Dr Manmohan Singh's residence to pay last respects

New Delhi [India], December 28 (ANI): As the nation prepares to bid farewell to Dr Manmohan Singh, the commoners on early Saturday morning have also started gathering outside the residence of the former Prime Minister in Delhi to pay their last respects.
Jasmeet, a resident of East Delhi, said that she has come with her husband Hatendra Pal to pay tributes to Manmohan Singh who she credits for making India famous, globally.

"We have come here from East Delhi to pay our last respects to the late former PM Dr Manmohan Singh. He made India and the Sikh community famous. He was one of the best economists. We couldn't meet him when he was alive. But my husband and I came here to give a last tribute. We hope we are allowed in but if we are not allowed due to security reasons, then we will return from here," Jasmeet told ANI.
Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone and requested to have the funeral of Dr Manmohan Singh at a place where his memorial can be built, according to a post by the Indian National Congress on X.
"I am writing this in the context of the sad demise of Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India. Apropos our telephonic conversation this morning, wherein I requested to hold Dr Manmohan Singh's last rites, which will take place tomorrow i.e. 28th December 2024, at his final resting place that would be a sacrosanct venue for the memorial of the great son of India. This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former Prime Ministers at the very place of their funerals," Kharge wrote in his letter.
Kharge further said that a memorial would be a fitting tribute to a leader who rose from humble beginnings to become a statesman of immense stature. Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Congress President Kharge and the family of Late Dr Manmohan Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial.
The last rites of Dr Manmohan Singh are to be performed at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi today.
Dr Singh's political career spanned several decades, with notable positions including Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, during which he spearheaded economic reforms that transformed India's economy. He served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His tenure is particularly remembered for his steady leadership during economic crises and his contributions to modernizing India's economy.
After his second term, Dr Singh retired from public life, having led India through a period of unprecedented growth and international recognition. He was succeeded by Narendra Modi in 2014 after the Congress-led UPA lost the general elections. (ANI)