New Delhi: Describing former prime minster Manmohan Singh’s death as a “personal loss”, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday said he was her friend, philosopher and guide and that in his death, the party has lost a leader who was the epitome of wisdom, nobility and humility.

In her message on Singh’s demise, Sonia Gandhi said he leaves a void in the national life that can never be filled.

“We in the Congress party and the people of India will forever be proud and grateful that we had a leader like Dr Manmohan Singh whose contributions to India’s progress and development are immeasurable,” she said.

“In Dr Manmohan Singh’s passing, we have lost a leader who was the epitome of wisdom, nobility and humility, who served our country with all his heart and mind. A luminous and beloved guiding light for the Congress party, his compassion and vision transformed and empowered the lives of millions of Indians,” the former Congress president said.

Singh was loved by the people of India for his pure heart and fine mind, Gandhi said, adding that his advice, “wise counsel” and views were eagerly sought and deeply valued across the political spectrum in the country.

“Respected and admired by leaders and scholars all over the world, he was hailed as a statesman of immense wisdom and stature. Dr Manmohan Singh brought brilliance and distinction to every high office that he held. And he brought pride and honour to India,” she said.

“For me, Dr Manmohan Singh’s death is a deeply personal loss. He was my friend, philosopher and guide. He was so gentle in his manner but so resolute in his deeply held convictions.

“His commitment to social justice, secularism and democratic values was deep and unwavering. To spend any time with him was to come away enlightened by his knowledge and sagacity, moved by his honesty and integrity, and awed by his genuine humility,” Sonia Gandhi said.

Earlier in the day, the CPP chairperson paid homage to Singh at his residence where his mortal remains are kept for people to pay their last respects.

She also attended a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting convened to pay tributes to the former prime minister.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday said that not finding a location for the cremation and memorial for Manmohan Singh is a deliberate insult to the country’s first Sikh prime minister.

The Congress raked up the issue after the Union home ministry said in a statement that Singh’s last rites will be held at New Delhi’s Nigambodh Ghat at 11:45 AM on Saturday with full state honours.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said party president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to conduct Singh’s last rites at a location where a memorial could be built to honour his legacy.

“The people of our country are simply unable to understand why the Government of India could not find a location for his cremation and memorial that is befitting of his global stature, record of outstanding achievements, and exemplary service to the nation for decades,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

“This is nothing but a deliberate insult to the first Sikh Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh,” the Congress leader said.

Kharge wrote the letter after speaking to Modi about setting up a memorial for Singh, who was a two-term prime minister revered by the people of the country.

“Apropos our telephonic conversation today morning, wherein I made a request to hold Dr Manmohan Singh’s last rites, which will take place tomorrow i.e. 28th December 2024, at his final resting place that would be a sacrosanct venue for memorial of the great son of India.

“This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former Prime Ministers at the very place of their funerals,” Kharge said in his two-page letter.

The Congress chief said Dr Manmohan Singh holds a highly revered place in the psyche of the country and the people of this nation, and his contributions and achievements were phenomenal.

He also said that Dr Singh’s erudition on economic and fiscal matters came from his vast experience as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, chief economic advisor to the government of India and in various other capacities in several organisations, and the respect and regard that world leaders had for him bears testimony to this fact.

Kharge said Singh’s wise counsel, leadership and contribution in mitigating the global economic financial crisis is well-acknowledged. He also recalled President Obama’s words when as the US president, he mentioned that “whenever the Indian prime minister speaks, the whole world listens to him”.

He also said that when the nation was in the throes of a grave economic crisis, it was Dr Manmohan Singh, along with former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, who took India out of the crisis and also led the country towards economic prosperity and stability.

The nation today reaps the benefits of the robust economic foundations built by them, Kharge noted.

“Coming from a humble background and having experienced the pains and sufferings of the Partition, it is through his sheer grit and determination that he rose to become one of the leading statesmen of the world. I hope and trust that befitting stature of Dr Manmohan Singh, request to have the funeral of Dr Singh at a place where his memorial can be built, will be acceded,” Kharge said in the letter.

Congress Legislature Party leader in Punjab assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa also separately urged Prime Minister Modi to have Manmohan Singh’s funeral at a place where a memorial could be built later in his honour.

“I urge Prime Minister @narendramodi to honour Dr Manmohan Singh, one of the most towering Sikhs of modern times, with a memorial befitting his immense contributions to our nation. Rising from humble beginnings in a historic state, representing a community that has always stood steadfast for India’s unity and progress, Dr Singh’s life is a testament to intellect, integrity, and selfless service,” he posted on X.

Bajwa said Punjabis across faiths and political lines unite in their heartfelt plea to recognise this son of Punjab, who played an instrumental role in shaping India’s destiny, with the respect he deserves.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed the Centre has “declined” the request of Manmohan Singh’s family for performing the funeral and last rites at a place where an appropriate memorial may be built.

There is no official word from the government on Kharge’s request.

However, Badal took to X to post, “Shocking and unbelievable! It is condemnable in the extreme that Union Govt has declined the request of Dr Manmohan Singh Ji’s family for performing the funeral and last rites of the highly distinguished leader at a place where an appropriate and historic memorial may be built to commemorate his unparalleled services to the nation.”

He further said this place should be Raj Ghat.

“This will be in keeping with the settled practice and tradition followed in the past,” Badal said.

He said it is “inexplicable” why the government is “showing such disrespect to the great leader who was the only member of the Sikh community to rise to become the Prime Minister”.

“As of now, the cremation is slated to be performed at the common cremation ground at Nigambodh ghat. I am unable to believe that the BJP govt’s bias would go to such extremes in utter disregard of the towering global stature which Dr Manmohan Singh ji enjoyed and will always enjoy,” Badal further said in his post.

He said Singh took the country to great international heights.

“Our political differences with the Congress apart, we have always held Dr Manmohan Singh in the highest esteem as he transcends politics and political affiliations. He belongs to the entire nation.

“Dr Sahib showed great sensitivity and compassion in his dealings with Shiromani Akali Dal over Sikh and Punjab issues,” said Badal urging Modi to “intervene personally to change this deplorable decision of the government”.

Singh passed away on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at the age of 92.

Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory outlining restrictions and diversions on major routes in the capital ahead of the state funeral of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, scheduled at the Nigambodh Ghat at 11:45 am on Saturday.

Keeping in mind the number of foreign dignitaries, VIPs/VVIPs and general public likely to visit the cremation ground, traffic has been diverted from Raja Ram Kohli Marg, Rajghat Red Light, Signature Bridge and Yudhister Setu, the advisory said.

Traffic restrictions/diversions may be imposed on Ring Road, Nishad Raj Marg, Boulevard Road, SPM Marg, Lothian Road, Netaji Subhash Marg and their surrounding roads/stretches from 7 am till 3 pm, it said.

“People are advised to avoid these roads/stretches and the area from where the procession will be taken out. Avoid roadside parking as it causes hindrance to normal traffic flow. In case any unusual/unidentified object or person is noticed in suspicious circumstances, police should be informed,” the advisory said.

Singh, the architect of India’s economic reforms, passed away on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to age-related medical complications. He was 92.

Bengaluru: The bomb blast at Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1 here stood out for Karnataka in a year that saw its share of twists in the script, particularly with weather and politics.

Initially, it was thought the blast at the popular eatery’s Whitefield branch was caused by a gas leak. But it turned out to be an improvised explosive device (IED) blast, which injured at least eight people. By March 4, the National Investigation Agency took over the case, arresting two suspects.

Year 2024 also saw an acute dry spell in several parts of Karnataka. But the water crisis was more severe in Bengaluru. This was followed by a very wet rainy season that resulted in devastating floods and landslides, particularly in the coastal parts and Western Ghats of Karnataka. The state witnessed 46 landslides in 2024, causing 12 related deaths, according to official figures.

Politically, too, the mood swung both ways, with BJP walking away with a lion’s share of votes in the Lok Sabha elections in April, although its seats slipped from 25 in 2019 to 17. However, months later, in November, the ruling Congress swept all three Assembly by-polls that came as a relief to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who otherwise had a challenging year, having to weather the Valmiki and MUDA ‘scams.’

As is wont, politicians kept 2024 really busy. The most deeply felt news in Karnataka was perhaps the death of former Chief Minister and the man who transformed Bengaluru into a global hub, S M Krishna, on December 10. People poured their hearts out in obituaries, bringing out his multi-faceted personality.

As for getting a rap, the top rung netas made it to the news.

If Siddaramaiah was caught in a “resign now” turmoil first over the Valmiki ‘scam’ and then over the controversy surrounding the MUDA site allotment, former CM B S Yediyurappa was issued a non-bailable warrant in a POCSO case.

But it was former JD (S) MP Prajwal Revanna who stirred up the biggest controversy. Cases of sexual abuse involving Prajwal shocked the entire nation when pen drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving him were circulated in Hassan ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Revanna was arrested by the SIT on May 31 upon arrival at Bengaluru Airport from Germany and is being tried in the Karnataka High Court.

The Valmiki ‘scam’ came to light when the superintendent of Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation died of suicide, leaving behind a purported note alleging Rs 85 crore embezzlement.

The alleged irregularities in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) over allotment of residential sites involved Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi. She, it was alleged, was allotted 14 sites in an upmarket residential area in the 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of her 3 acres 16 guntas of land. She later returned them.

Meanwhile, Yediyurappa faced the heat when a woman filed a complaint in Bengaluru’s Sadashivanagar Police Station, alleging the BJP veteran sexually assaulted her minor daughter.

What is politics without its intrigues? This year too saw its share and the one that stood out was the alleged tussle for the CM post by Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar. Although assured often by Shivakuma that the CM will complete a full term of five years, the rumours refuse to die down.

In a plot twist, Kannada film industry’s most talked about actor in 2024 was a murder suspect. Actor Darshan was arrested for allegedly murdering his fan, 33-year-old Renukaswamy on June 11, along with his friend, actor Pavithra Gowda, and 15 others. But on December 13, the actor – and the others – were given bail, and his fans celebrated it with the same fervour as his film releases.

But as murders go, this year the murder of 29-year-old Mahalakshmi on September 21, whose body was chopped into 30 pieces – in some accounts even 59 pieces – and stacked in her refrigerator, was easily one of the most gruesome.

She was allegedly strangled by her boyfriend, who later dismembered her body. The 30-year-old Mukti Ranjan Rai then went to his native town in Odissa and took his life, leaving behind a suicide note confessing to his crime. His body was found four days after Mahalakshmi’s.

Another death that had the whole country debating was that of 34-year-old software engineer Atul Subhash.

He too died of suicide on December 9, leaving behind a detailed 24-page suicide note and an 81-minute video that some men hail as manifesto for men’s rights.

The case also threw spotlight on how dowry law was allegedly being misused by some women to harass their husbands. Incidentally, his wife Nikita Singhania, her mother and brother were arrested on December 14.

The gruesome accident of a CEO and his family of five on December 22 too caught the attention of the entire nation. That Chandram Yegapagol, 48, was driving ‘responsibly’ a new four-wheeler of a brand known for being a ‘safe car’, triggered another debate on lack of road safety in the country.

The Karnataka legislature passed a law in February mandating all name boards of commercial establishments to have 60 per cent Kannada language component.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur and daughter Daman Singh pays their last respects to him, at AICC headquarters

New Delhi : The final journey of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began from the AICC headquarters on Saturday morning after Congress leaders paid homage to their departed leader.

The flower-bedecked vehicle carrying the mortal remains of Singh left the Congress headquarters in a procession amid chants of “Manmohan Singh amar rahe”.

A large number of Congress workers and leaders along with hundreds of Singh’s well-wishers walked along as “Jab tak suraj chand rahega, tab tak tera naam rahega” slogans rent the air.

Former Congress chief and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also accompanied the procession alongside Singh’s relatives.

Singh’s mortal remains were taken to the AICC headquarters from his residence on 3, Motilal Nehru Road a little before 9 AM.

The mortal remains were kept there for about an hour, with several top Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, paying their last respects, among others.

Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur and one of their daughters also laid a wreath on his body and paid their last respects.

Meanwhile, the funeral preparations were being given final touches at the Nigambodh Ghat where the last rites of the former prime minister would be performed at 11.45 am with full state honours.

Singh passed away on Thursday night at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to age-related medical complications. He was 92.

Considered the architect of India’s economic reforms, Singh served as the prime minister for 10 years between 2004 and 2014.

A seven-day national mourning is being observed throughout the country as a mark of respect to the former prime minister during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the nation, the Union Home Ministry has announced.

Hyderabad: A crucial meeting between the Telangana government and Telugu film industry representatives is expected to be held on Thursday to thaw the speculated strained ties between the ruling dispensation and the tinseltown following the arrest of top actor Allu Arjun.

The 42 year-old star was arrested recently in connection with the stampede at a theatre here screening his latest movie “Pushpa: The Rule” that resulted in the death of a woman on December 4.

Telangana State Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman and leading producer Dil Raju on Wednesday said a delegation of film personalities would call on state Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy today to foster “healthy relations” between the government and the industry.

The meeting assumes significance amid Cinematography minister Komatireddi Venkat Reddy’s statement that the state government, in future, may consider ticket price hike only for certain categories such as films made on history, freedom struggle or anti-drugs or message oriented.

The state government’s stand came in the wake of the death of a 35-year-old woman at Sandhya Theatre here due to suffocation where ‘Pushpa 2’ movie was screened on December 4.

The minister’s statement, if really implemented, will have a huge impact on the high budget films such as Ram Charan’s “Game Changer”, Nandamuri Balakrishna’s “Daaku Maharaj” and Venkatesh’s “Sankranthiki Vasthunnam” which are slated for release during Sankranti next year.

Directed by popular Director S Shankar, Game Changer was produced by Dil Raju. The film is reportedly made with a budget of nearly Rs 400 crore.

Though the Telangana State Film Chamber of Commerce welcomed the government’s decision that it will not allow benefit shows of movies in the state and also enhanced ticket prices will be done on a case-to-case basis, the move may not go down well with the production houses as they usually look to reap the benefits during the early day of the film release.

The meeting is being organised on behalf of the FDC, Dil Raju had said, adding, he would act as a bridge between the government and the film fraternity.

Some ruling Congress leaders have found fault with Allu Arjun’s comments last week, describing the stampede incident as purely accidental and denying the allegations made by CM Revanth Reddy on the “roadshow” before the film screening.

Hours after Reddy slammed the actor for holding a roadshow and waving to the crowds at the theatre, without referring to anyone, the ‘Pushpa’ star refuted the allegations, saying it was not a procession or a roadshow.

Allu Arjun was arrested by the city police in connection with the death of the woman on December 13.

The Telangana High Court granted him a four-week interim bail on the same day and he was released from a prison here on December 14 morning.

Mumbai: A fire broke out inside a moving Lamborghini car on the Coastal Road in Mumbai on Wednesday night, officials said. No injuries are reported in the incident which occurred at around 10:20 PM.

A fire brigade official said one fire engine was promptly dispatched to the spot. The blaze was doused in approximately 45 minutes. The information about the exact number of occupants in the car and the cause of the fire are not available immediately.

Business tycoon and car enthusiast Gautam Singhania shared a video of the affected car on his social media account. Another video shows flames in the cabin of the orange-coloured car with Gujarat registration number, and a man attempting to put them out.

A 48-year-old doctor has allegedly been duped of Rs 70 lakh by three persons, including a woman, who offered to sell him a flat in Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai township, police said on Thursday.

The accused showed a flat located in Roadpali area of Kalamboli to the doctor and expressed their intention to sell it to him despite the fact that it had been already sold to someone else.

They took Rs 70 lakh from the doctor but did not give him possession of the flat, an official from Kalamboli police station said.

When the doctor demanded his money back, the accused evaded him.

The doctor on Tuesday approached the police with a complaint, based on which a case was registered against the three accused under legal provisions for cheating and criminal breach of trust, the official said.

The teacher of a convent school in the Chitbaragaon police station area here was booked for allegedly beating a class six student for wearing a cap to school, police said on Thursday.

The teacher allegedly beat the child again after his father complained to the school authorities about the incident, Chitbaragaon police station in-charge Prashant Kumar Chaudhary said.

An FIR was filed against Jitendra Rai, a teacher at Nav Bharat Children Academy, on the complaint of Anil Kumar Gupta from Jai Prakash Nagar village on Wednesday, police said.

In his complaint, Gupta accused Rai of using abusive language against his son, Shlok Gupta, for wearing a cap to school and beating him for it, Chaudhary said, adding that the incident took place on December 20.

When Gupta went to the school the next day to deposit the fees, he complained about the teacher to the school principal, he said.

Angered by this, Rai beat the student again on the same day and banged his head against the wall, Chaudhary added.

The matter is under investigation, he said.