New Delhi [India], December 28 : Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Saturday remembered former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a dignified person who worked for the welfare of the country.
"A good man, former PM and economist passed away...He worked for the nation...Today we are here to pay our last respects to him," Sandeep Dikshit told ANI at AICC headquarters here where Singh's mortal remains were brought for the party workers and leaders to pay their last respects.
"He (Manmohan Singh) maintained his dignity throughout his life. He will be known for his achievements and dignified manners. As prime minister and finance minister he changed the conditions of the country for the good," he added.
Meanwhile Manmohan Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur and his daughter Daman Singh on Saturday paid their last respects to him at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in the national capital.
Several politicians including Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also paid last respects to Singh.
Several people also gathered outside the residence of the former Prime Minister in Delhi to pay their last respects. Delhi Traffic Police had issued an advisory earlier, ahead of the funeral of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. The traffic advisory outlines restrictions and diversions on major routes in New Delhi, urging the public to avoid certain roads and use public transport to help ease congestion.
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 modernizing 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.