Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh passed away on 26th December at Delhi’s AIIMS hospital due to age-related illness. The 92-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician has an unforgettable history of contributions to Indian politics and the economy. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi described his demise as a ‘personal loss’ and reminisced about the time she spent with him.
Dr Singh was recognised as a skilled economist and a dedicated politician. His tenure as the Prime Minister of India was also marked by controversies and incidents of humiliation. He faced political pressure and personal insults numerous times during his tenure, but his loyalty and commitment to the nation kept driving him to work for the greater good.
Today, the Congress Party is singing his praises. However, it was the Congress Party itself that was often responsible for his humiliation. Here are four key incidents from Dr Singh’s life where he endured humiliation yet kept working for the country.
Rajiv Gandhi likened the Planning Commission to a ‘joker commission’
In 1986, then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi publicly dismissed the Planning Commission, where Dr Singh was serving as deputy chairman. Gandhi termed it a “joker commission”. The remarks were given after a presentation by Dr Singh on the rural economy that had angered Gandhi. The comment was deeply humiliating for Dr Singh, who reportedly considered resigning but was persuaded to stay on by his colleagues.
देश में आर्थिक सुधार के महानायक pic.twitter.com/BJr5vqTK9T
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 27, 2024
Congress MPs opposed him as Finance Minister
The humiliation of Dr Singh did not end there. In 1991, Dr Singh served as Finance Minister in PV Narsimha Rao’s government. He introduced bold economic reforms that included the dismantling of the licence raj. His policies were resisted by then-Congress MPs, who criticised him during parliamentary meetings. Even the Congress-backed newspaper National Herald labelled his policies as anti-middle class. Despite the humiliation from his own party leaders, Singh’s resolve to improve the nation’s economy remained unshaken.
Prime Minister in name, but power lay with Sonia Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi reportedly declined the post of Prime Minister in 2004 after immense pressure from the public. The power and responsibility were then handed over to Dr Manmohan Singh. People hoped for strong and independent leadership. However, Dr Singh was often sidelined in major decisions. In the book ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, it was revealed that he wished to retain the finance portfolio but was overruled by the Congress high command. The portfolio was given to P Chidambaram. Throughout his tenure, Singh was often seen as following the directives of the party.
In 2012, as Prime Minister, Singh famously remarked outside Parliament, “My silence is better than a thousand answers; it shields the dignity of countless questions.” However, today, when Sonia Gandhi describes his demise as a personal loss, one cannot help but recall narratives about her being a ‘super PM’ and Singh a mere ‘puppet‘.
Rahul Gandhi tore up an ordinance, publicly humiliating Singh
One of the most humiliating incidents came for Dr Singh in 2013, when his government proposed an ordinance to overturn a Supreme Court ruling disqualifying convicted lawmakers from contesting elections. The ordinance was approved by the Cabinet. However, Rahul Gandhi, who held no official position in the government, publicly dismissed the ordinance as “nonsense” and tore it up during a press conference. His actions not only embarrassed the government but also undermined Singh’s authority as Prime Minister. Dr Singh was deeply hurt by the incident and reportedly contemplated resigning but prioritised national stability instead.
The enduring label of ‘puppet’
Throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, Dr Singh endured the label of being a ‘puppet’. His tenure symbolised how power could reside elsewhere while the Prime Minister remained a figurehead. Books like The Accidental Prime Minister revealed how decisions were often dictated from 10 Janpath (Sonia Gandhi’s residence). Despite leading the nation for a decade, Singh was denied the autonomy to act independently.
Today, while the Congress Party glorifies Dr Singh, history cannot ignore how the same party subjected him to repeated humiliations. Yet, despite these setbacks, Singh worked tirelessly for the country, implementing critical policies and showcasing resilience in the face of adversity. His life serves as a testament to not only his economic and political acumen but also his ability to rise above personal slights for the nation’s progress.
However, the sincerity of Congress’s tribute to Dr Singh after his demise raises questions. How can the party that forced him to endure such indignities now laud his contributions with a straight face?
This report was first published in OpIndia Hindi by Shravan Shukla. Read the original report here.