“We wanted to give family privacy,” says Congress defending absence at Manmohan Singh’s ashes immersion

The controversy surrounding the funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh continued to escalate on Monday, following criticism from the BJP over the absence of Congress leaders during the immersion of his ashes in the Yamuna River. The BJP claimed that Congress leaders did not accompany Singh’s family during the immersion ceremony, while BJP leaders were present at the event. Congress responded by stating that its decision was made out of respect for the privacy of Singh’s family during the emotionally sensitive ceremony.

Congress leader Pawan Khera clarified that senior party leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had met with Singh’s family at their residence after the cremation. He explained that after discussions with the family, Congress leaders chose not to attend the immersion ceremony in order to give them some privacy. “After discussing with them, it was felt that since the family did not get any privacy at the time of the cremation and some extended family members could not reach the pyre site, it would be appropriate to give them some privacy for the Phool Chunana and the immersion of the ashes,” Khera said.

The ashes of Manmohan Singh were collected from Nigambodh Ghat on December 29 and were taken to Asth Ghat, Majnu Ka Tilla, on the Yamuna River for immersion. Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur, and their three daughters — Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh — along with other close relatives, were present at the immersion ceremony. The ceremony took place in the presence of some family members and other relatives, but the Congress leadership did not attend, as they had already offered their condolences earlier at the family’s residence.

Khera further emphasized that during the cremation on December 28, the family had been deprived of privacy due to the large number of dignitaries and media presence. He pointed out that several extended family members were unable to reach the pyre site because of space limitations, adding to the emotional difficulty of the ceremony. Congress leaders decided that the immersion ceremony, a private and difficult moment for close family members, should be respected with the space and privacy it required.

The BJP, however, rejected the explanation and accused Congress of politicizing Singh’s death. BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya posted a detailed rebuttal, asserting that Congress’s allegations regarding the funeral arrangements were baseless. The BJP also highlighted the seating arrangement during the cremation, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained seated when the tricolor was handed over to Singh’s widow, Gursharan Kaur, raising questions over the decorum of the event.

Manmohan Singh, who served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on December 26, at the age of 92. His cremation was held with full state honors at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi on December 28, attended by national and international dignitaries. Singh is widely credited with leading India through significant economic reforms, including the liberalization of the Indian economy in the 1990s, which played a crucial role in shaping India’s global economic standing. His passing marks the end of an era in Indian politics, with tributes pouring in from political leaders across the spectrum.