Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh passed away on 26 December at the age of 92 in AIIMS, Delhi. This gentlemanly soul leaves behind legacies of humility and integrity and, of course, economic reforms. He is revered even by his detractors for his calm image. His tenure, however, did have those occasions when India’s prime minister had to take decisions no one wanted to.
The Moment Singh Considered Military Action Against Pakistan
In his memoir, former British Prime Minister David Cameron said Manmohan Singh once had made up his mind to attack Pakistan after a serious terrorist attack on India. Cameron, who served as British PM from 2010 to 2016, shared that when he visited India, Singh had said that if India encountered another attack like the one in Mumbai in 2008, military action against Pakistan would be unavoidable.
Though Singh is remembered for his statesmanly calm and measured approach to governance, Cameron said the former Prime Minister was unmoving on the question of India’s security. Cameron described Singh as a “saintly man” but also admitted his toughness on the threat from the neighbor Pakistan. Singh’s decision to take a reevaluation and not escalate the situation is an important moment in India’s foreign policy history.
Interestingly, here comes a different path unveiled through Manmohan Singh‘s early life. Firstly, Singh had enrolled into a pre-medical course. According to his father’s wish, he was indeed set to become a doctor. But soon, losing interest in medicine, Manmohan Singh changed course. This is a good addition of personal touch with regards to Singh’s ability, which Daman Singh had revealed in a book on him.
Nation Mourns
It was a day of unreserved sorrow for the country since the demise of Manmohan Singh. Paying tribute to his legacy, the Congress party has called a seven-day official shutdown on all programmes. General Secretary KC Venugopal also took to social media in this regard by mentioning the fact that the party did not celebrate the planned Foundation Day programme in lieu of this tribute.
The last rites of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will be performed on Saturday, the Congress party said in a statement. An official announcement detailing the arrangements will be made on Friday.
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