A political tug-of-war has erupted over memorials for India's former heads of state, with the spotlight on ex-PM PV Narasimha Rao and former President Pranab Mukherjee. Amidst Congress&rsquo;s demand for a memorial for Dr Manmohan Singh, a larger debate is brewing&mdash;will the BJP seize this opportunity to politically corner Congress?
Following the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting a memorial at the site of his cremation. However, the central government permitted cremation at the common crematorium instead of a special memorial site.
BJP President JP Nadda criticized Congress, accusing it of politicizing Singh&rsquo;s demise for political gains. Adding fuel to the fire, Pranab Mukherjee&rsquo;s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee accused Congress of failing to honor her father&rsquo;s legacy, pointing out that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) didn&rsquo;t even hold a condolence meeting.
Similarly, PV Narasimha Rao's grandson NV Subhash alleged Congress ignored Rao's contributions, despite promises of a memorial in Hyderabad that never materialized. Notably, both Sharmistha and NV Subhash have since joined the BJP.
In Telangana, a fresh dimension emerged when the state Assembly passed a resolution seeking Bharat Ratna for Dr Manmohan Singh. BRS leader KT Rama Rao praised Singh but reminded the Assembly of Narasimha Rao's unmatched contributions. He urged the state to pass a similar resolution for a national memorial for PV Narasimha Rao.
"Dr Manmohan Singh was a great economist and is respected across party lines. However, PV Narasimha Rao remains the only late Prime Minister without a memorial in the national capital," KT Rama Rao emphasized.
Within the BJP, there&rsquo;s growing advocacy for memorials for both Rao and Mukherjee. Strategists believe such an announcement could significantly impact upcoming elections in Telangana and West Bengal, turning these memorials into powerful political symbols.
The question remains: Will BJP make the decisive move, turning memorials into a political masterstroke to embarrass Congress and solidify its ground in key states?

Memorials for former PM, Prez could be a BJP move to corner Congress politically

Will BJP Give Rao & Mukherjee Memorials?

Memorials for former PM, Prez could be a BJP move to corner Congress politically

December 31, 2024 | 16:42 IST