Manmohan Singh, the former prime minister of India and architect of the country's economic reforms, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92. Born in a village in undivided Punjab, now in Pakistan, Singh's family witnessed first-hand the tragic Partition. Throughout his long public life, he often spoke of communal harmony and democratic values. He served two terms as prime minister from 2004 to 2014 and was known for his wisdom and quiet demeanor.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the 'wholesale attack on the democratic system' currently underway in India is the single biggest risk the country is facing, and asserted that allowing different traditions to thrive is very important as 'we cannot do what China does, which is to run an authoritarian system'. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Speaking at a seminar titled 'The Future is Today' at the EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, Gandhi also alleged that there are 'huge amounts of corruption at a centralised level' in India now. "In India, we have huge amounts of corruption now at a very centralised level. So, three or four businesses taking over the whole economy, having a direct relationship with the prime minister, is rampant in India," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said. "But I believe decentralising power, making things more transparent, bringing people into conversations, and bringing people into processes is the best way forward," Gandhi said while addressing the seminar on Wednesday. Hitting back at the Congress leader for his remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused Gandhi of insulting and degrading India on foreign soil. Posting a video clip of Gandhi's speech on X, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, 'Rahul Gandhi does it again, degrades India on foreign soil. From defaming our democracy in London, to mocking our institutions in the US, now in Colombia he spares no chance to insult Bharat globally.' 'This isn't dissent. It's disgrace to the fake Gandhi. Criticising BJP may be your right but dare you malign Mother India for your cheap and petty politics,' Bhatia said. Speaking at the seminar, Gandhi said India has a much more complex system as compared to China and its strengths are very different from that of the neighbouring country. India also has a very old spiritual tradition and a thought system with profound ideas that are useful in today's world, he said, adding that there is a lot that the country can offer in terms of tradition and way of thinking. "I am very optimistic about India, but at the same time, there are fault lines within the Indian structure. There are risks that India has to overcome. The single-biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India," the Leader of Opposition said. "India has multiple religions, traditions and languages. India is actually a conversation between all its people. Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is the democratic system," he said. "Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk. The other big risk is different conceptions -- some 16-17 different languages, different religions... So, allowing these different traditions to thrive, and giving them space to express themselves is very important for a country like India.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 1991 budget unshackled India's economy, significantly enhancing the economic prospects for hundreds of millions of Indians, first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Gita Gopinath said on Friday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Afghanistan but the dates are yet to be worked out.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Thursday termed Narendra Modi administration's scheme to abolish 500 and 1,000-rupee notes as "a monumental management failure".
Disappointed over the last minute holding up of the Teesta River Agreement, the Bangladesh government on Tuesday said that Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, must reassure the people of Bangladesh that the hold-up is temporary and that the agreement will be signed soon.
United States Senator Mark Warner, the democratic co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, said Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and India's restraint in the face of continuing terrorist attacks is nothing short of remarkable and keeping with the best traditions of India.
Seventy six-year-old Dr Singh drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday morning from his 7, Race Course Road residence to greet Patil on the occasion, a PMO spokesperson said.
The death toll in the collapse of an unauthorised building in Virar, Maharashtra, has risen to 15. Rescue operations are ongoing to ensure no one remains trapped under the debris.
Many will hope this is the beginning of a new phase in Dr Singh's tenure, when he lets his office, the government, his council of ministers, his party and coalition and the country know that he means business, that the buck stops with him, that his colleagues and officers must shape up or ship out, says Sanjaya Baru
An elderly Sikh man was assaulted in Los Angeles, suffering a skull fracture and potential brain trauma. A suspect has been arrested for the attack.
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India, succeeding Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The prime minister's remarks on relations with Pakistan and on the Maoist issue do not bode well for our success in dealing with these two challenges to our national security in an effective manner, writes B Raman.
Singh hosted a lunch in honour of Clinton, who is in New Delhi on a private visit.
In 2021, the Centre renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. But many wonder, why despite the public sentiment the country's highest civilian honour continues to elude the man who put Indian hockey on the world map.
Rejecting as a "malicious campaign" media reports suggesting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be replaced by his party soon, the Congress on Monday night said there is "no doubt" that he will continue till 2014.
Amrit Singh believes violent measures have resulted in some Americans feeling it is okay to racially profile South Asians, Sikh Americans and Arab Americans, whom they perceive as terrorist threats.
In a firm message to China, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday night voiced India's serious concern over the recent Chinese incursion in Ladakh and told his counterpart Li Keqiang that in the absence of peace and tranquility along the border, bilateral ties will suffer as the two leaders held hour-long cordial but candid talks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the speeches of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the Lok Sabha for articulating the success of Operation Sindoor and India's global outreach respectively.
Former IPS officer Meeran Borwankar claims political interference hindered justice in the Malegaon and 7/11 blasts, and the Narendra Dabholkar murder case. She cited instances of pressure on investigators and prosecutors.
The Congress also said that Dr Singh is 'better than yesterday' and asserted that any unfounded speculation is unnecessary and in bad taste.
The death toll in the collapse of an allegedly unauthorised building at Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district has risen to 17. Police have arrested the builder of the four-storey structure after a complaint was lodged.
Film folk celebrated Raksha Bandhan over the weekend and posted their happy pictures online.
Republican Vice Presidential candidate and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on Wednesday.No details of the meeting, which lasted for half an hour, were released but Palin had been discussing international issues with world leaders who are here to attend the United Nations General Assembly session.Originally, Republican Presidential candidate John McCain was slated to accompany her but sources said he was held up in Washington.
19 Cabinet ministers were sworn in along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Manmohan Singh is a nice man but India needs an effective prime minister. May be it is time for him to stand down.
The MiG-21 episode demonstrates that procurement is always strategic.
Choices about what aircraft to acquire, who builds them, who supplies the spares, who trains the pilots and technicians are decisions with political consequences lasting for decades.
Justice Sameer Jain cancelled the exam 2021 which was the bone of contention for both Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress governments in the state and gave a detailed verdict.
'...still have lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but could have won 140 seats.'
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wants to encourage what he hopes is beginning of change of the Pakistani mindset towards India.
'Personalities are temporary, policies provide for stability.' 'With the former, when personalities change so does the nature of the relationship.' 'Policies and structures, on the other hand, are idiot-proof, as well as maverick-resistant,' explains Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Tapir Goan, Bharatiya Janata Party member of parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, has decribed the talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao as meaningless.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally announced on Friday morning that he would 'welcome' his Indian counterpart 'Dr Manmohan Singh for a bilateral visit on June 27.'
'The US reciprocal tariff has added another element of uncertainty and the central bank may prefer to wait and get further clarity.'
Readers hope Dr Manmohan Singh will take India to new heights during his tenure as prime minister.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, V Narayanasamy on Tuesday rubbished Time magazine's description of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as an "underachiever".
India-US relations, like Rome, were not built in a day, nor can they be demolished in a day.
All said and done, when the new global order emerges, India can only remain with the democracies, asserts Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
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