"Great loss": Union Minister Hardeep Puri mourns Manmohan Singh's demise

New Delhi [India], December 27 (ANI): Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday termed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's demise as a "great loss" and said that he will be remembered with admiration and affection.
Speaking to ANI, Union Minister Puri said, "The passing away of the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is a great loss. He was a tall stalwart, visionary statesman and I had the privilege of knowing him for nearly fifty years... If you look back on his life he was a person who rose from relatively humble origins. He had an outstanding academic record...there is no academic distinction which he did not have. He will be remembered for many things. I think he was the architect of economic reforms... He was able to navigate the economy at a time when it was facing many challenges. He will be remembered with a great degree of admiration and affection."
Former PMO Director Binoy Job expressed grief on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's demise, saying that he leaves behind a huge legacy of clean and honest leadership focused on empowering the common man.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Binoy Job, Former Director, PMO & Spokesperson to the former PM Manmohan Singh said, "Dr Manmohan Singh leaves behind a huge legacy of a new leadership. Throughout his entire life, he has brought in an alternative formula for public leadership that is clean, honest and policy-focused leadership that was aimed at empowering the common man and with a great vision for the nation and society."
He also praised Manmohan Singh for his reform to empower the people saying "during his tenure as PM, he unleashed a huge plethora of reforms to empower people and to ensure social and job securities to the common man."
National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah also expressed grief on his demise, saying that there are very few leaders like these in the world.
Speaking to ANI, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said, "I was a minister in his Cabinet, it is during his time that renewal energy was recognized. I hope the work done by him can be taken forward. If there was anyone who took steps to rehabilitate our Kashmiri pandits in Kashmir, it was Dr Manmohan Singh. Only those who work are criticised. It will be very difficult for the entire country to find such a leader; there are few leaders like him in the world."
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cousin brother Amarjit Singh Kohli also expressed his deepest condolences saying he used to inspire everyone to study.
Speaking to ANI, Amarjit Singh Kohli said, "He was our uncle's son. He used to visit us since childhood, he loved us a lot and blessed us. He used to inspire everyone to study. He lived his whole life in simplicity and there was nothing showy in his life."
NCP-SCP Chief Sharad Pawar also expressed sorrow over his demise, saying that he used to think about what was best for the country.
"Today, the people of the nation are in grief. He used to think about what is best for the country. When I was the CM of Maharashtra, he was the RBI governor. I used to talk to him during that time. Since then, I had respect for him," Pawar said.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his last respects to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence in Delhi.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda also paid their last respects to Manmohan Singh. Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, were also present at the former PM's residence.
Manmohan Singh passed away at AIIMS, Delhi, on Thursday evening at the age of 92 due to age-related medical conditions. He had a sudden loss of consciousness at home after which he was rushed to the AIIMS Delhi.
Condolences have poured in from around the globe in response to Singh's demise. Leaders from neighbouring countries, including the United States, Maldives, and Afghanistan, expressed their deep grief over his passing, highlighting his contributions and the warm relationships he fostered with their nations.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's body will be displayed at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi for public viewing. His last rites are scheduled for Saturday, according to Congress sources.
Serving as the finance minister of India in PV Narasimha Rao's government, Singh has been given credit for economic liberalisation in the country in 1991. The reforms made the Indian economy more accessible to foreign investors, which increased FDI and reduced government control. It greatly contributed to the country's economic growth. (ANI)