'Regret having participated in a movement that vilified him': Prashant Bhushan on Manmohan Singh's death anniversary

Bhushan was among the faces of IAC that launched scathing attacks on the Congress-led UPA government on the corruption front.

New Delhi: Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who was in the forefront of the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement against the UPA, on Friday showered praises on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his first death anniversary, saying he "regretted" having  participated in a movement that "vilified him" and "helped a rogue regime" come to power.

Bhushan was part of the India Against Corruption (IAC) and stood alongside Arvind Kejriwal when they sidestepped Hazare to transform the movement into a political party AAP. Bhushan, who later fell out with Kejriwal, was among the faces of IAC that launched scathing attacks on the Congress-led UPA government on the corruption front.

Sharing an image of Singh on 'X', he said, "he was a humble, decent, well educated and well meaning man. His humility and decency was seen as a weakness. I regret having participated in a movement that vilified him and helped a rogue regime come to power." Among other things, Bhushan had earlier accused Singh of acting like a shield of UPA's corruption.

This is not the first time Bhushan has spoken positively about Singh. Two days after his death in 2025, Bhushan said commenting on an article on Singh, "He presided over a kinder, gentler State, one with an inclusive long term vision of public and national interest. The contrast with the present dispensation cannot be more stark."

In January 2019, he commented on Anupam Kher-starrer 'The Accidental Prime Minister', "...the purported biopic of Manmohan Singh is an unabashed attempt of political propaganda against Sonia (Gandhi)/Rahul (Gandhi) and the Congress, reducing Manmohan Singh to a pathetic caricature. Expect a propaganda hagiography from the biopic of Modi."

The Congress party also remembered the former Prime Minister with president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi recalling Singh's contribution to the country.

At the party office on 24-Akbar Road, Rahul Gandhi and other leaders paid floral tributes at the portrait of Singh.

In a letter to Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur, Kharge said the former Prime Minister was among those "rare figures in Indian democracy who set the highest standards" of knowledge, policy, and morality.

"As the country’s Finance Minister in 1991, he led India toward historic economic reforms that gave the Indian economy new momentum, global recognition, and a path toward self-reliance. Through the policies of liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation, he steered India out of an economic crisis and laid a strong foundation for growth," he said.

"Manmohan Singh-ji was a living embodiment of simplicity, dignity, and integrity. Even while in power, he never violated constitutional propriety and always placed the protection of the Constitution, institutions, and democratic values above all else...The patience, grace, and inner strength with which you stood by him throughout his public life are an inspiration to us all...The life, ideas, and achievements of Dr. Manmohan Singh ji will continue to guide the nation forever," he said.

Separately in a post on 'X', Kharge said, "a transformative leader, he reshaped the country’s economic path and expanded opportunities for millions through economic reforms and lifted millions out of poverty." 

He said Singh was known for his humility, integrity, and wisdom and led with dignity and compassion, ensuring that progress remained inclusive and welfare reached those most in need.

"The rights-based paradigm is a testament to that approach. We had built a stronger India under his vision. We pay our heartfelt tribute to a statesman whose legacy of honest public service and lasting reforms shall continue to inspire generations," he said.

Rahul said on 'X', "through his visionary leadership, he empowered India economically. His historic efforts and bold decisions for the deprived and poor of the country gave India a new identity on the global stage. His humility, diligence, and integrity will always remain inspiring for all of us."