Sharmistha Mukherjee Criticizes Congress Amid Manmohan Singh Memorial Controversy

Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee, has openly criticized the Congress Party for its lack of action following her father’s demise in 2020. She expressed disappointment that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) did not convene a condolence meeting to honor her father, a former Congress stalwart.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Sharmistha revealed, “When Baba passed away, Congress didn’t even bother to call a CWC meeting for condolence. A senior leader told me it’s not done for Presidents. That’s utter rubbish. From Baba’s diaries, I learned that when K.R. Narayanan passed away, a CWC meeting was called, and Baba himself drafted the condolence message.”

Her remarks come in the wake of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's recent demand for a dedicated memorial space to honor former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 92.

Backing Manmohan Singh Memorial Proposal

Despite her criticism, Sharmistha supported the idea of a memorial for Dr. Singh, describing it as a fitting tribute. She also advocated for conferring the Bharat Ratna posthumously to Singh, sharing that her father had wished to honor him with the award during his presidency.

“A memorial for Dr. Singh is a great idea. He deserves it, along with the Bharat Ratna, which Baba wanted to confer on him. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen for reasons that don’t need to be spelled out,” she wrote.

Congress-MHA Clash Over Memorial Location

The Congress accused the government of delaying the allocation of a location for Dr. Singh’s cremation and memorial, calling it a deliberate insult to India’s first Sikh prime minister.

The Union Home Ministry, in a late-night statement, clarified that space would be allocated for a memorial and communicated this to both Singh’s family and Mallikarjun Kharge. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that while formalities for forming a trust and allocating space are underway, the cremation would proceed as planned at Nigambodh Ghat with full state honors.

Legacy of Manmohan Singh

Dr. Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister from 2004 to 2014, is celebrated for his role in ushering economic reforms and steering the country during the Congress-led UPA government. His contributions to India’s economic and political landscape remain unparalleled.

Singh passed away at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy of integrity, intellect, and reformative leadership.