The state funeral of former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was a saddening and disheartening event, as it was marred by a lack of respect and poor management. The media was not allowed to cover the funeral, with only state-owned Doordarshan being allowed to broadcast it. Even then, Doordarshan focused more on current Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah rather than Dr. Singh's family. The family was also given only three chairs in the front row, further adding to the disrespect and neglect shown towards the late leader.
The Controversial State Funeral of Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Dr. Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, passed away in August 2023. His state funeral, which was held on August 25th, was met with controversy and criticism.
Background
Manmohan Singh was the 13th Prime Minister of India, serving from 2004 to 2014. He was the first Sikh to hold the office. Singh was widely respected for his economic reforms and his leadership during the global financial crisis of 2008-2009.
State Funeral
The state funeral of Dr. Singh was arranged by the Modi government. The event was closed to the media, with only state-owned Doordarshan being allowed to broadcast it.
Critics of the funeral accused the government of disrespecting Singh's legacy. They pointed out that the coverage focused heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, rather than on Singh's family.
Singh's family was also given only three chairs in the front row, which some saw as a further snub to the late leader.
Government Response
The Modi government defended its handling of the funeral. A government spokesperson said that the event was kept closed to the media due to security concerns.
The government also said that it had tried to accommodate Singh's family's requests, but that it was not possible to give them more than three chairs in the front row.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Why was the media not allowed to cover the funeral? The government said that the event was kept closed to the media due to security concerns.
2. Why did the coverage focus on Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Shah? Critics said that the government wanted to use the funeral to boost the image of Modi and Shah.
3. Why was Singh's family given only three chairs in the front row? The government said that it was not possible to accommodate the family's request for more chairs in the front row.
4. What is the significance of Manmohan Singh's legacy? Singh is widely respected for his economic reforms and his leadership during the global financial crisis of 2008-2009.
5. What is the current political climate in India? India is currently under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP is a right-wing Hindu nationalist party.
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