| ‘Dr Singh was an epitome of humility, integrity’ | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 3: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister late Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away on December 26, last year.
Speaking at the obituary session on the first day of the ongoing Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly here the Chief Minister lauded the efforts of the late leader in fostering peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir.
“In his final press conference, he [Dr Singh] had said, “I leave it to history to judge my tenure,” Omar said, adding “Perhaps now, years later, we realize the significance of his contributions. He served as Prime Minister for 10 years, and there is hardly a world leader who does not respect him, from the United States to the United Kingdom and Japan.
The Chief Minister said, “As a person Dr Singh empathized with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He was a compassionate leader. I had the opportunity to work closely with him and learned a great deal.”
“He (Dr Singh) never raised his voice, and if he ever made a mistake, he was quick to acknowledge it,” Omar added.
The Chief Minister hailed Dr Singh’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by Jammu and Kashmir. “Regarding Jammu and Kashmir, Dr. Singh worked to address concerns about the region,” he said, adding, “Dr Singh carried forward the peace process which had commenced during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf.”
“The late Prime Minister didn’t halt the process due to change of guard in New Delhi. He could have easily stopped it but he chose to continue the process.”
“Despite intermittent challenges, he made every effort to move the process forward,” Omar said.
He recalled Dr. Singh’s efforts during the turmoil of 2010, when working groups were established to address the grievances of the people. “These groups included representatives from all parties and diverse perspectives. Even today, the recommendations of these working groups remain unmatched, whether in politics or governance,” Omar said.
Omar also touched upon Dr. Singh’s initiatives for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits. “During Dr. Singh’s tenure, job reservations were created for them, and efforts were made to facilitate their return. The conditions in the camps where they lived were terrible, but the construction of townships provided some relief,” he said.
Highlighting Dr. Singh’s contributions to infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said, “The four-laning of the Jammu-Srinagar highway was initiated during Dr. Singh’s tenure. Today, we are waiting for the Prime Minister to inaugurate the rail link, which I hope will happen soon. The foundation for connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country was laid when the Banihal tunnel was completed, and the train passed through it. I was on that train with Dr. Singh. The world’s highest railway bridge was also started during his tenure.”
“Unfortunately, he did not live to see the trai “The foundation for connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country was laid when the Banihal tunnel was completed, and the train passed through it. I was on that train with Dr. Singh. The world’s highest railway bridge was also started during his tenure.”
Omar recounted Dr Singh’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of India’s most respected leaders. “Dr. Manmohan Singh was born in undivided India, which was once part of Pakistan, into a very poor family. He studied under streetlights and went on to reach Oxford and Cambridge. He started his career as an officer, became an Economic Advisor, served in the Training Commission, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Finance Minister, and eventually Prime Minister. Wherever he worked, he achieved success,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister highlighted Dr. Singh’s pivotal role in transforming India’s economy during his tenure as Finance Minister and later as Prime Minister. “When Dr. Manmohan Singh became the Finance Minister, the situation was dire. We didn’t have enough money to run the government. The country’s gold reserves were mortgaged to foreign nations to bring in some funds to keep the government functioning. Those were the days, and today, we are among the top five economies in the world. If Dr. Singh had not initiated the reforms he did, our situation might have been similar to some of the poorer African countries,” Omar said.
He praised Dr. Singh for abolishing the license-permit raj, which revolutionized India’s economic landscape. “Today, if the private sector has achieved so much success, it is because Dr. Singh eliminated the license-permit system. Before this, the government decided which factory would be established, how big it would be, and where it would be located. These restrictions were gradually removed, and today, our economic position is praised worldwide,” Omar added.
The Chief Minister also commended Dr. Singh’s social welfare measures, such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). “I still remember when MNREGA was first introduced; people said it was impossible to provide jobs on such a large scale and that it would fail. But even today, years later, the scheme continues to function effectively. Even now, when we speak to MPs, they demand job cards and work under MNREGA,” he said.
The Chief Minister shared personal anecdotes about Dr. Singh’s humility and integrity. “I recall an incident that I may not have shared before. I had written a letter to him about an issue and later mentioned it in an interview without naming him. Someone in the PMO misunderstood and informed him that I had breached protocol by discussing the letter in the media. Dr. Singh called me and said, ‘Omar, you should not have done this? I replied that I haven’t done anything that could breach the protocol. He disconnected the phone and fifteen minutes later, he called again and said, ‘Omar, you were right. I was misinformed. I apologize.’ He was the Prime Minister, yet he had no hesitation in admitting his mistake and apologizing. That was the kind of person he was,” Omar recalled. |
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