Karnataka CM pays rich tributes to former PM Manmohan Singh

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah speaks at the condolence meeting for former PM Manmohan Singh at the CPEd ground in Belagavi on December 27, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Badiger P.K.

Ministers and Congress leaders of Karnataka paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a public condolence meeting in Belagavi on December 27.

“His life was a miracle,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. “Born in an ordinary household in a rural area, he went on to be one of the greatest economists of India. All that was achieved by honest hard work. Despite enjoying several important positions of power, he remained humble and polite. His life offers us several lessons. The world may have bigger economists, but there was no one who continued to remain so humble despite enjoying such important positions.

“He kept working silently. He was soft-spoken, and spoke less. But he never shied from making his point whenever required. His policies aimed to benefit of the middle classes and the poor,” he said.

“As Leader of Opposition and as Chief Minister, I met him several times. Every time, he would receive us cordially, speak to us with affection, and respect and listen to us patiently. We invited him for the inauguration of the Dr Ambedkar School of Economics. We also invited him for a programme regarding the economy of Karnataka. He congratulated us on the strong financial status of Karnataka, and about its status as a growing economy,” Mr Siddaramaiah said.

“Mr Singh’s steadfast morality made him bold and courageous. He would speak in a straightforward manner, whenever he had to say no to any proposal. He held several important positions, not just to hang on to power, but did justice to them. He used his vast knowledge of economics and administration to provide answers to several problems of the country,” the CM said. “His demise is a loss not just to India, but the whole world of economics.

“During the 1990s, he pulled the country from the brink of poverty. The country will never forget it and will remain grateful to him. He opened up the Indian economy to the world and introduced schemes and programmes that benefited millions. He stabilised the economy, put in place systems and processes that led to double-digit growth.

“In 2004, we all thought Congress president Sonia Gandhi would become the PM. But she sacrificed the position and chose Mr Singh. He assumed power with humility, and worked for the welfare of the nation. He introduced several schemes and programmes that ensured that the directive principles of State policy are implemented. He introduced programmes and schemes like MNREGA, Right to Information, Right to Education, Right to Food, Forest Rights Act, and the Urban Renewal Mission, among others. He created a high growth potential economy on one hand, and built a safety net for the vulnerable on the other hand.

“He was a world-class economist who shaped the country’s economy for the benefit of the middle and poor people of the country. He led the country for a decade in a disciplined manner. He said ‘history would be kinder to him’. Those words have become prophetic.”