Srinagar: Two former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir today remembered Dr Manmohan Singh after his demise at the age of 92 years and said that Dr Singh's role as prime minister of the country will be remembered for keeping the country united and initiating steps for resolution of the Kashmir issue.
National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who was Minister for Renewable Energy during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, said that the biggest contribution of Dr Singh was that he kept the country united.
"Dr Manmohan Singh was an efficient economist whose biggest contribution to India is that he kept the country united and liberalised the economy. I pay tributes to him on my and my party's behalf and hope that the work he left behind will be taken forward so that the country moves ahead towards progress," Farooq, the three-time CM of JK, told reporters in Srinagar.
He said that Dr Manmohan Singh's efforts in bringing Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley after their migration will be unforgettable. "He made a lot of efforts as prime minister for their return and rehabilitation. He kept 3000 government jobs for the Kashmiri Pandits so that they could return and built a township for them in Jagti town in the Jammu district," he said, adding that for any government, late Dr Singh's role as prime minister is a roadmap.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said that Dr Singh was a man of few words but a man of action.
"I first met Dr Manmohan Singh in Srinagar when he arrived here to stitch the alliance between the PDP and Congress in 2002 when the two parties were stuck over government formation. He was sent by then Congress president Sonia Gandhi for talks for the government formation. I found him humble and soft-spoken. He played a big role in the formation of the PDP and Congress government and the forming of the 'Agenda Of Alliance' of that government," Mehbooba recalled.
The PDP and Congress formed a coalition government in 2002-2008 when the PDP founder, the late Mufti Sayed, became the chief minister for the first three years, and then Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was made the chief minister for the rest of the term. However, his term was cut short after the PDP withdrew support for Azad over the Amarnath land row.
JKPCC Pays Tributes To Manmohan Singh
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) today organised a condolence meeting on the passing away of Singh, paid rich tributes and remembered him as a true statesman for his honesty and excellent economic policies.
The condolence meeting was attended by two working presidents of PCC Tara Chand and Raman Bhalla and other party leaders of Jammu.
"It was a tribute to Singh’s approach to the problems faced by our country and he remained committed as Prime Minister to India’s religious, cultural, linguistic and regional diversity and regarded the federal structure as the core and defining feature of our constitution and our national polity," the party leaders said.
Addressing the meeting, Tara Chand said that Manmohan Singh had introduced several schemes and programmes that ensured the directive principles of State policy were implemented. "He introduced programmes and schemes like MNREGA, Right to Information, Right to Education, Right to Food, Forest Rights Act, and the Urban Renewal Mission, among others. He created a high growth potential economy on the one hand, and built a safety net for the vulnerable on the other hand," Chand said.
Raman Bhalla said that Manmohan Singh was a great statesman, par excellence, great economist and veteran politician who believed in the pluralistic strength of this nation. “He practised and preached unity in diversity during his life and even taught those who had a different philosophy in life. He was a great asset to the nation and he was liked by one and all from different sections and ideologies,” he added.
A two-minute silence was observed on the occasion to pray for peace to the departed soul and to give strength to his family, relatives and admirers to bear the loss.
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