India is in mourning following the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who passed away at 92 on Thursday night at AIIMS, Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid their last respects to the esteemed leader on Friday morning at his Delhi residence, braving light showers to honor his memory.
Visuals captured during their visit show PM Modi, HM Shah, and BJP president JP Nadda laying floral wreaths on Dr. Singh’s mortal remains. “The nation has lost a true statesman,” PM Modi said, extending condolences to Dr. Singh’s family.
Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are expected to pay homage at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi, where Dr. Singh’s mortal remains will be placed for public viewing on Saturday morning. The ‘last darshan’ will be held between 8:00 and 10:00 AM, followed by the final rites.
The family is awaiting the arrival of Dr. Singh’s daughter from abroad, with Congress leader KC Venugopal indicating that the exact timing of the last rites will be announced later today.
Following Dr. Singh’s passing, the Government of India declared a seven-day national mourning period. All official programs scheduled for Friday were canceled as a mark of respect.
Dr. Singh, who served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, was regarded as an economic reformer and a beacon of integrity in Indian politics. He passed away at 9:51 PM on Thursday, following a sudden collapse at his residence. Despite the medical team’s best efforts, he could not be revived.