The Congress on Monday reacted to the BJP’s criticism that leaders of the grand old party didn’t accompany Manmohan Singh’s family during the immersion of his ashes in the Yamuna River, saying it wanted to accord privacy to the bereaved family.
Dr Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur and their three daughters — Upinder Singh, Daman Singh and Amrit Singh — were present at the immersion site along with other relatives.
As part of Sikh rituals, the family will hold an ‘Akhand Path’ at its official residence on 3, Motilal Nehru Marg here on January 1 next year. A ‘bhog’ ceremony, ‘Antim Ardas’ and ‘kirtan’ would be held on January 3 at the Rakab Ganj Gurdwara near Parliament complex. Dr Singh passed away at Delhi’s AIIMS on December 26 due to age-related medical complications.
Congress Leader Pawan Khera Reacts
Congress leader Pawan Khera said senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had visited Singh’s family after the funeral.
He said Congress leaders didn’t accompany the family out of “our deference to the privacy of the family”. He said the family didn’t get any privacy during the cremation and some extended family members couldn’t even reach the pyre site.
“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 which is an emotionally painful and difficult ceremony for close family members,” Khera said in a statement.
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