New Delhi: Dr Manmohan Singh was a strong Prime Minister who never compromised on national interests, had an eye for detail and was regarded for his consensual style of functioning, veterans in the Congress recalled on Wednesday.
The 33 year-long Rajya Sabha tenure of the former PM, who helmed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government (UPA) from 2004 to 2014, came to an end on April 3.
On April 2, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, who was part of Dr Singh’s cabinet, penned an emotional note appreciating the veteran’s contribution to the nation.
“In my view, Dr Singh was a strong Prime Minister who never compromised on national interests. He had an amazing eye for detail during the cabinet meetings and was widely regarded for his consensual style of functioning,” former Union minister MM Pallam Raju told ETV Bharat.
According to Raju, Dr Singh was a “silent man” but had the vision of a 'statesman'. “He was widely regarded around the world as an economist and had a great command over policy issues.
Dr Singh was the unexpected choice of then-Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for the post of PM in 2004 when the opposition BJP was targeting her over the foreign origin issue.
Interestingly, as Dr Singh retires from the Rajya Sabha after 33 years, Sonia Gandhi is set to enter the upper house of parliament for 33 years.
As PM, Dr Singh went on to lead the coalition government for the next 10 years during which several key rights-based legislations like the Right to Information, Right to Education, rural jobs scheme MGNREGS, and the Right to Food were passed with the backing of party chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
“Dr Singh was the architect of economic liberaliSation started during former PM PV Narasimha Rao, when he was finance minister. As PM, Dr Singh’s policies took the economy to greater heights and fulfilled the dreams of the aspirational class, Raju said.
“Sonia Gandhi fully backed the PM over the India-US civil nuclear deal in 2008 when the Left parties withdrew support to his government,” he said. The former Union minister denied there were two power centers in the Congress during the UPA years.
“There was a clear division of roles. Dr Singh ran the government as PM without any interference and Sonia Gandhi managed the party and the allies on the political side. The two functioned as a team and delivered results,” said Raju.
Former Rajya Sabha member and veteran leader BK Hari Prasad recalled that Dr Singh was a true Gandhian. “Dr Singh led a life based on the motto simple living and high thinking. He never misused power or position. Once, I had requested Dr Singh to attend a party event in Bengaluru but he was reluctant to use the free air travel facility available to Rajya Sabha members for the party event. Senior leader AK Antony then intervened in the matter and the party then arranged his flight tickets,” Hari Prasad told this channel.
Prasad recalled how the former PM had reached the Rajya Sabha recently, despite suffering from serious health issues, to vote against a controversial Delhi ordinance.
The Congress veteran slammed the BJP for targeting the former PM. “The BJP might say anything about him but the people know the reality. Dr Singh led the country and took it on the path of progress unlike the BJP which has allowed several big fugitives to run away. History will be kind to Dr Singh,” he asserted.
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