'Today’s middle class is virtual creation of Manmohan Singh policies': P Chidambaram on former boss

Chennai: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, who served as Finance Minister under Manmohan Singh for seven years, on Thursday paid glowing tributes to his former boss by terming the present middle class of India as “virtually the creation of his policies.”

Chidambaram, who took to X to share that it was a deeply emotional moment for him to speak about the departed leader, was handpicked by Singh to lead the crucial Finance portfolio after he assumed charge as the Prime Minister in May 2004. And when Chidamabaram replaced Shivraj Patil as Home Minister following the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Singh had reluctantly agreed to the proposal. And his favourite colleague was back in the Finance Ministry in July 2012 and continued till the end of UPA-II.

Chidambaram, in his post, said the life and work of Dr Manmohan Singh and the period from 1991 till 2014 will be a golden chapter in the history of India.

“I worked closely with him for many years. I have not met a person more humble and self-effacing than Dr Singh. He wore his scholarship lightly and never claimed credit for any of his historic achievements,” he wrote.

The story of India turned after Dr Singh became Finance Minister, and the present middle class of India was virtually the creation of his policies as Finance Minister and Prime Minister, Chidambaram said.

Throughout his tenure, Singh had great empathy for the poor and he never hid the fact that many millions of Indians were poor. “He reminded us that government's policies must lean in favour of the poor. Examples of his empathy are MGNREGA and the restructuring of PDS and the extension of the mid-day meal scheme,” the former Finance Minister added.

He also said Singh’s story has not been told fully and his achievements have not been recorded fully. “I am sure when we look back upon the 23 years that Dr Singh was in active politics, we will realize his true contribution,” Chidambaram further said.

Jairam Ramesh, who worked with Singh in various capacities including in the Planning Commission, said though soft-spoken, sober, and always dignified, Singh had a steely resolve.

He also took a dig at the BJP to say that many of the initiatives he took as PM were marketed, branded, and projected as his successor's contributions. “But Dr. Singh never minded and would give his trademark smile,” Ramesh added.

Besides revolutionary legislation relating to rural employment, tribal rights, reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs, primary education, food security, and land acquisition, the Indo-US nuclear agreement was a landmark that enhanced India's global status during Singh’s tenure, he said.

“In his inimitable and distinctive way, Dr. Manmohan Singh has left his indelible imprint on our history,” Ramesh added.