<p>Hubballi: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday night, had a close relationship with Hubballi, as the family of his wife’s sister resides in the City.</p><p>Singh’s co-brother Harnam Singh Kohli is a resident of Vidyanagar in Hubballi. Days after his wife Harpreet Kaur (younger sister of Dr Singh’s wife Gurusharan Kaur) passed away, Gurusharan Kaur and daughter Daman Singh had visited Hubballi in 2010.</p><p>They had come to Kohli’s residence, and also attended rituals at the Gurudwara in Deshpande Nagar.</p><p>As Singh was the prime minister then, heavy security was arranged during the visit of his wife and daughter. Though Singh did not visit the residence of Kohlis, he had come to Hubballi in 2013, during campaigning for Assembly elections. The event was held at Nehru Stadium.</p><p>Mourning the demise of their close relative, Kohli family members recalled the simplicity of Manmohan Singh. Recalling the moments of meeting him during their visit to his house, they said Singh’s family maintained a strong bonding with them. “He was very friendly, though busy. We had food together when we visited his house. He had said he visited Dharwad once earlier. He had come to Hubballi in 2013 for election canvassing, while his wife visited our house after my mother passed away,” said Manmeet Singh, son of Harnam Singh Kohli and Harpreet Kaur.</p><p>My brother is visiting Delhi to attend the rituals after my uncle’s death, he added.</p><p>Manmeet’s wife Aparna recalled offering Dharwad Pedha to Singh when they visited his house in 2018. She said Singh couple took good care of them, and he had no ‘attitude’ of being a former PM.</p><p>Meanwhile, Haveri MP and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai recalled that Manmohan Singh used to ask about Hubballi whenever they met.</p><p><strong>When in Hubballi</strong></p><p>Singh had attended an election rally at Nehru Stadium in 2013, when he was the prime minister. Prasad Abbayya of Congress, who was for the first time facing the polls from Hubballi-Dharwad East constituency then, stated that Singh’s blessings then helped him to get elected as the MLA thrice.</p><p>Abbayya has also urged the Union government to honour Singh with the Bharat Ratna.</p><p>Stating that Singh had laid a strong foundation for the economic growth of the country, Bommai said he practised realistic politics and not the publicity-oriented one.</p><p>District In-charge Minister Santosh Lad and MLA Mahesh Tenginkai also condoled Singh’s demise, recalling his economic reforms. Condolence meetings were also held at Hubballi-Dharwad District Congress Committee office and Karnatak Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).</p>
<p>Hubballi: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday night, had a close relationship with Hubballi, as the family of his wife’s sister resides in the City.</p><p>Singh’s co-brother Harnam Singh Kohli is a resident of Vidyanagar in Hubballi. Days after his wife Harpreet Kaur (younger sister of Dr Singh’s wife Gurusharan Kaur) passed away, Gurusharan Kaur and daughter Daman Singh had visited Hubballi in 2010.</p><p>They had come to Kohli’s residence, and also attended rituals at the Gurudwara in Deshpande Nagar.</p><p>As Singh was the prime minister then, heavy security was arranged during the visit of his wife and daughter. Though Singh did not visit the residence of Kohlis, he had come to Hubballi in 2013, during campaigning for Assembly elections. The event was held at Nehru Stadium.</p><p>Mourning the demise of their close relative, Kohli family members recalled the simplicity of Manmohan Singh. Recalling the moments of meeting him during their visit to his house, they said Singh’s family maintained a strong bonding with them. “He was very friendly, though busy. We had food together when we visited his house. He had said he visited Dharwad once earlier. He had come to Hubballi in 2013 for election canvassing, while his wife visited our house after my mother passed away,” said Manmeet Singh, son of Harnam Singh Kohli and Harpreet Kaur.</p><p>My brother is visiting Delhi to attend the rituals after my uncle’s death, he added.</p><p>Manmeet’s wife Aparna recalled offering Dharwad Pedha to Singh when they visited his house in 2018. She said Singh couple took good care of them, and he had no ‘attitude’ of being a former PM.</p><p>Meanwhile, Haveri MP and former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai recalled that Manmohan Singh used to ask about Hubballi whenever they met.</p><p><strong>When in Hubballi</strong></p><p>Singh had attended an election rally at Nehru Stadium in 2013, when he was the prime minister. Prasad Abbayya of Congress, who was for the first time facing the polls from Hubballi-Dharwad East constituency then, stated that Singh’s blessings then helped him to get elected as the MLA thrice.</p><p>Abbayya has also urged the Union government to honour Singh with the Bharat Ratna.</p><p>Stating that Singh had laid a strong foundation for the economic growth of the country, Bommai said he practised realistic politics and not the publicity-oriented one.</p><p>District In-charge Minister Santosh Lad and MLA Mahesh Tenginkai also condoled Singh’s demise, recalling his economic reforms. Condolence meetings were also held at Hubballi-Dharwad District Congress Committee office and Karnatak Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).</p>
