Manmohan Singh retires from Rajya Sabha: A look at ex-PM’s 33-year-long journey in 5 statements

Singh, 91, is credited for opening the Indian financial system to world competitors and infrequently thought to be architect of India’s financial liberalisation as Finance Minister in 1991. Later, Singh went on to grow to be Prime Minister of the Congress-led UPA authorities serving two phrases between 2004 and 2014.

Singh has not been holding effectively for fairly a while and has stayed away from public appearances. His solely public look in 2024 was on the e-book launch of his daughter on the India Worldwide Centre (IIC), New Delhi, in January. 

The 2 UPA regimes led by Manmohan Singh are credited with the launch of social welfare initiatives akin to assured job schemes -Mahatma Gandhi Nationwide Rural Employment Assure (MNREGA) – and proper to training for each little one. Reforms together with Direct Profit Switch (DBT) and nationwide id quantity, Aadhaar have been additionally launched throughout Manmohan Singh’s time period as PM.

Additionally Learn:  ‘An period involves an finish’ Mallikarjun Kharge writes as Manmohan Singh retires from Rajya Sabha. Full letter right here

But his final years in workplace have been marred with corruption scandals and inflation, with many within the opposition calling him a ‘weak’ PM. 

In 2014, Congress-led UPA authorities beneath PM Manmohan Singh was defeated, paving approach for Narendra Modi to grow to be Prime Minister of the Bhartiya Janata Get together-led-Nationwide Democratic Alliance (NDA) dispensation.

PM Modi is looking for a file third time period within the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, starting April 19.

Singh by no means gained Lok Sabha elections. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for the primary time by the Congress social gathering in October 1991, 4 months after he turned the Union Finance Minister. He represented Assam for 5 phrases within the Rajya Sabha and shifted to Rajasthan in 2019, his final time period that ended on Wednesday.

The legislation requires a Prime Minister or a Union Minister to be a member of both of the homes within the Parliament- Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In one of many Parliament Periods in August final 12 months, Manmohan Singh was hailed for attending the session on wheelchair regardless of his in poor health well being.

Listed below are the 5 well-known statements by the previous PM.

A former academician and bureaucrat, Singh jumped into politics when he joined the Congress in June 1991. Singh was appointed Finance Minister by the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. Throughout his time period, Singh launched a sequence of radical measures to revive and reform the financial system and is thus thought to be architect of India’s financial liberalisation.

July 24,1991: ‘India is now unsleeping’

In his maiden speech as Finance Minister within the Parliament on July 24,1991, Singh famously quoted French author and politician Victor Hugo, saying that “no energy on earth can cease an concept whose time has come”.

“I don’t minimise the difficulties that lie forward on the lengthy and arduous journey on which now we have embarked. However as Victor Hugo as soon as mentioned, “No energy on earth can cease an concept whose time has come”. I recommend to this august Home that the emergence of India as a significant financial energy on the planet occurs to be one such concept. Let the entire world hear it loud and clear. India is now unsleeping. We will prevail. We will overcome,” Singh mentioned.

Thirty years later, on the anniversary of financial liberalisation on July 23 2021, Singh recalled Robert Frost’s poem, “However I’ve guarantees to maintain, and miles to go earlier than I sleep”.

August 25, 1999: ‘Politicians taking individuals for a experience’

In an interview with BCC in August 1999, Singh quoted former US President Abraham Lincoln saying that politicians in India have been taking individuals for a experience for final fifty years.

“I do imagine we’d like a brand new kind of politics. A politics of frankness, a politics that tells individuals issues straight, issues as they’re. I feel we can not idiot our individuals. As Abraham Lincoln as soon as mentioned, ‘you’ll be able to idiot some individuals forever, all individuals for a while, however not all individuals forever.’ And I do imagine that within the final 50 years, politicians have been taking our individuals for a experience. And I really feel there’s a nice hazard if the hole between what politicians say, promise, and what they do, grows the way in which it has been rising,” Singh advised Karan Thapar within the interview.

January 3, 2014: ‘Historical past will probably be kinder to me’

On January 3, 2014, the fag finish of his second and final time period as Prime Minister, Singh responded to the criticism that he was going through by defending his authorities’s file. 

Additionally Learn: Who’s various to PM Modi? Congress MP Shashi Tharoor responds

“I don’t imagine that I’ve been a weak Prime Minister. I actually imagine that historical past will probably be kinder to me than the up to date media or for that matter the Opposition in Parliament…. Given the political compulsions, I’ve carried out the very best I might do. I’ve carried out in addition to I might do in response to the circumstances. It’s for historical past to evaluate what I’ve carried out or what I’ve not carried out,” Singh mentioned addressing a press convention, the third in his two phrases.

January 3, 2014: ‘Disastrous to have Narendra Modi as PM’

On January 4, 2014, forward of the Lok Sabha elections, Singh mentioned at a press convention that he sincerely believes that it will likely be disastrous for the nation to have Narendra Modi because the Prime Minister.” Modi was then the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.

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4 years later, nevertheless, Singh regretted the remark. “I did say Modi will probably be a catastrophe because the PM. Now I recognise I used a harsh phrase I mustn’t have used. I don’t wish to repeat it,” Singh mentioned in Indore in November 2018 forward of Madhya Pradesh meeting polls.

November 24, 2016:  ’Demonetisation a monumental mismanagement’

Manmohan Singh has been essential of his successor’s financial insurance policies together with demonetisation of all ₹500 and ₹1,000 banknotes introduced by PM Modi on November 8, 2016. 

Talking throughout a debate on demonetisation in Parliament in the identical month, Singh mentioned that the way in which “the scheme had been applied was a monumental administration failure.” He additionally known as it “a case of organised loot, legalised plunder of the widespread individuals”. 

A 12 months later, Singh known as demonetisation and the Items and Providers Tax (GST) as “twin blow to the financial system”.

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Revealed: 03 Apr 2024, 05:14 PM IST