New Delhi [India], December 28 (ANI): As former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was laid to rest at Nigambodh Ghat, the government dignitaries and leaders across party lines paid their respects to the former Prime Minister. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said that his biggest achievement was to give the country the right to food, employment, and education.

"He left after giving directions to the country. When the country was going through an economic crisis, he was the Finance Minister. He served as the Prime Minister for 10 years. Sonia Gandhi nominated him as the PM. He gave the country the Right to Food, Right to Employment, and Right to Education. This was his biggest achievement," Sukhu told reporters while leaving from Nigambodh Ghat.

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Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi said that the government of India should award the former PM with Bharat Ratna and allocate space for a memorial.

"He gave a lot to the nation and worked towards nation-building. He will always be remembered for improving the economic conditions of this country. I appeal to the government of India that they should award Bharat Ratna to a man who was honest and simple. They should allocate space to him...He should be given the respect he deserves..." Channi, former Chief Minister of Punjab, told ANI.

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Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said, "The government should have been sensitive and allocated space for his memorial...He served the nation and did a lot of work for the welfare of the nation...A space was allocated to Atal Bihari also when he died...So the government should have done the same here also."

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi's Kashmere Gate in the presence of his family, friends, colleagues and government dignitaries.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid their last respects to the former PM by placing a wreath near his mortal remains earlier today.

The rituals for the cremation ceremony were performed for the former Prime Minister. The last rites were carried out at the VIP Ghat as per the Sikh rituals. Dr Singh's mortal remains were placed on a pyre of sandalwood sticks.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge along with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were also present for the cremation ceremony after they paid tribute to the former Prime Minister.

The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were brought to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi from his residence on early Saturday morning for party workers to pay their respects. Several people also gathered outside the residence of the former Prime Minister in Delhi to pay their tributes.

Earlier, after the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Congress President Kharge and the family of the late Manmohan Singh that the Government will allocate space for the memorial. In the meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it.

Dr Singh's political career spanned several decades, with notable positions including Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, during which he spearheaded economic reforms that transformed India's economy. He served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His tenure is particularly remembered for his steady leadership during economic crises and his contributions to modernising India's economy.

After his second term, Dr Singh retired from public life, having led India through a period of unprecedented growth and international recognition. He was succeeded by Narendra Modi in 2014 after the Congress-led UPA lost the general elections. (ANI)

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