Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy demanded that the Union government confer the Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while unveiling his statue at Wipro Circle in Hyderabad on September 26, his birth anniversary, citing the former PM’s contribution to the formation of Telangana. Revanth said that Manmohan Singh upheld the self-respect of the people of Telangana by facilitating the formation of the state when he was Prime Minister.
CM Revanth criticised the Union government for not taking steps to create a memorial for the former PM in Delhi. He said that the Union government’s decisions must be beyond the realm of politics. He also demanded that the Union government establish a ‘knowledge centre’ in Delhi in Manmohan Singh’s honour.
CM Revanth instructed Congress MPs to raise the issue of conferring the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, on Manmohan Singh in Parliament.
Unveiling the statue of Manmohan Singh in Hyderabad’s Financial District, the Chief Minister said, “We also displayed the signature Manmohan Singh affixed to the order creating the state of Telangana here today. We unveiled the former PM's statue with the resolve to pass on his inspiration to future generations.”
He recalled Manmohan Singh’s role in the 1991 economic liberalisation of India, when he was Finance Minister in then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao’s cabinet, and his contribution to the social and economic development of the country through various policies.
CM Revanth said that many institutions in Hyderabad’s Financial District are contributing to the Indian economy by providing services, and that unveiling the former PM’s statue in the economic hub is a rich tribute.
Manmohan Singh served as India’s PM for a decade under United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments I and II, from May 2004 to May 2014. During this period, he was at the helm of many important decisions and reforms, including the Right to Education Act, the Right to Information Act and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, among others. Manmohan Singh was conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian honour, in 1987.