Manmohan singh’s family gives nod for his memorial site at rashtriya smriti sthal

Manmohan singh’s family gives nod for his memorial site at rashtriya smriti sthal

The family of late Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has given the government its written approval for his memorial on a 900 sq m plot in the middle of the complex of samadhis called the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal near Delhi’s Raj Ghat.

Following a visit to the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal by members of the family last week, Gursharan Kaur, the former Prime Minister’s wife, is learnt to have sent a formal acceptance letter to the government.

Last week, Singh’s daughters Upinder Singh and Daman Singh, along with their spouses, surveyed the plot.

The Indian Express has learnt that as of date there are only two empty plots left in the samadhi complex. One was offered to the family of former President Pranab Mukherjee in January this year. The other plot, measuring 900 sq m, located towards the centre of the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, was offered to Singh’s family.

Upinder Singh confirmed the development to The Indian Express and said a formal acceptance has been sent by them.

‘The land is to be allotted to a Trust and we will shortly set that up. The stipulation is that we can apply for a one-time grant of up to Rs 25 lakh for the construction of the memorial,’ she said.

The Rashtriya Smriti Sthal complex consists of 9 samadhi spots which are meant to have a similar architectural design for the cenotaph.

Sources in Singh’s family said the plot chosen by the government — and now approved by the family — has the samadhi of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar in front; that of former President R Venkataraman behind it; and those of former Presidents Giani Zail Singh and Pranab Mukherjee on either side.

In 2013, when Singh was Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for creation of a ‘common’ memorial ground near Raj Ghat – ironically, his family has now approved what could be the last or among the last vacant pieces of land there.

The Cabinet decision, dated May 16, 2013, had, however, stated that the last rites of departed former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Prime Ministers would also be conducted at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, which was not done in the case of Singh.

His cremation was conducted at Nigambodh Ghat, on the banks of the Yamuna, on December 28 last year. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a statement that it had acceded to the request received from the Congress for allotment of land for the former Prime Minister’s memorial.

The Ministry stated, ‘…it has been communicated to Congress President and the family of the late Dr Manmohan Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial. In the meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it.’