New Delhi: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh breathed his last on Thursday at the age of 92 years at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was the main opposition party at the time when Singh was the PM from 2004 to 2014, often termed him as the “weak” prime minister and alleged that Sonia Gandhi was running the government from behind the curtains. Back in 2014, towards the end of his second term as the PM, he gave a befitting reply to all his critics during a press conference.
At the press conference, reporters asked questions about Singh’s leadership. Replying to one of the questions, the former PM had said, “I believe, history will be kinder to me than the comtemprary media and for that matter the opposition.” His term ended in 2014 after the BJP won the parlimentary polls and Narendra Modi became the next PM of the country.
Manmohans Singh’s Remarks:
Economic Reforms 1991:
Notably, Singh was the architecht of India’s economic reforms in 1991. He was the Fiannace Ministry when India suffered a major economic crisis in 1991. It forced the government to bring revolutionary economic reforms – liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation, popularly known as LPG. Experts are of the opinion that India’s present economy stands on the solid foundation provided by Dr. Manmohan SIngh.
Under the Manmohan Singh government, the Right to Information (RTI) Act was passed in 2005 to empower the citizens of the country.
Singh died at 9:51 PM on Thursday. The 92-year-old veteran leader was admitted to AIIMS Delhi due to age-related issues. According to reports, Singh was rushed to the hospital at around 8 PM after he lost consciousness.
“With profound grief, we inform the demise of former prime minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26th December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediatedly at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8.06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.51 PM,” the hospital said in a statement.
After the news of his demise surfaced, tributes started pouring in from all sections of society. “India mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji. Rising from humble origins, he rose to become a respected economist. He served in various government positions as well, including as Finance Minister, leaving a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years. His interventions in Parliament were also insightful. As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” PM Modi tweeted.
Singh served as a Rajya Sabha member for 33 years. He ended hiis tenure in April 2024 at the age of 91 years.
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