'When baba passed away, Congress didn't even bother to...': Pranab Mukherjee's daughter slams party over Manmohan Singh memorial row

A row erupted over a memorial for the former prime minister with the Congress demanding that Singh's last rites be performed at a place where a memorial could be built later. The party alleged that the BJP government was 'deliberately insulting' the first Sikh prime minister of the country in not designating a place for memorial.

Late former President of India Pranab Mukherjee's daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee criticised the Congress on Friday in post on X where she accused the grand old party of not even "bothering" to call for a CWC condolence meet upon the passing of her father.

"When baba passed away, Congress didnt even bother 2 call CWC 4 condolence meeting. A senior leader told me it’s not done 4 Presidents. Thats utter rubbish as I learned later from baba’s diaries that on KR Narayanan’s death, CWC was called & condolence msg was drafted by baba only," she wrote in her post.

Her comments came as a response to Congress' proposal to the Prime Minister seeking a separate memorial for former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

A row erupted over a memorial for the former prime minister, with the Congress demanding that Singh's last rites be performed at a place where a memorial could be built later. The party alleged that the BJP government was "deliberately insulting" the first Sikh prime minister of the country in not designating a place for his funeral and memorial.

Mukherjee posted on X responding to a tweet by BJP's national spokesperson C R Kesavan who sought to remind Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that the Congress-led UPA Govt never built a memorial in Delhi for former PM Narasimha Rao, who passed away in 2004.

"...It was only PM Modi ji in 2015 who instituted a memorial for Narasimha Rao ji and honoured him posthumously in 2024 with the Bharat Ratna. Media advisor to Manmohan ji, Sanjaya Baru claimed in his book that the Congress did not want Rao’s cremation to take place in Delhi, but rather in Hyderabad, and that he had been approached to convey this to Rao’s children. The cremation did take place in Hyderabad, with Rao’s body not even laid in state at the All India Congress Committee’s headquarters," he wrote in his post adding that: "The historical sins of the unprincipled Congress will never be forgotten nor forgiven by our nation."

On Friday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that party president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to conduct Singh's last rites at a location where a memorial could be built to honour his legacy.

However, the Centre later said it has already decided to set up a memorial for Singh and a suitable place would be found soon.

The mortal remains of former prime minister Manmohan Singh were consigned to flames at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Saturday amid the chanting of religious hymns. The funeral pyre was lit by his eldest daughter Upinder Singh.

Considered the architect of India's economic reforms, Singh served as prime minister for 10 years between 2004 and 2014.

A seven-day national mourning is being observed throughout the country as a mark of respect to the former prime minister during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the nation, the Union Home Ministry has announced.

The last rites were performed in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other top leaders and foreign dignitaries.

(With PTI inputs)