Are former Prime Ministers required to have memorials?
The Central Government has commenced efforts to establish a memorial in honor of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was cremated at Nigam Bodh Ghat in New Delhi.
Key Highlights:
Dr. Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, passed away on December 26, 2024. In response, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) instituted a period of seven days of State mourning and arranged for a state funeral for the esteemed leader. His cremation took place at Nigambodh Ghat in Central Delhi, marking a historic first for any former Prime Minister.
Regulations for Memorials:
- No specific regulations govern the establishment of memorials for former Prime Ministers, though guidelines exist for State funerals.
- Former Prime Ministers are traditionally cremated at designated locations.
- Example: Dr. Singh was cremated at a public cremation site accessible to all citizens.
Historical Context:
- With the exception of Vishwanath Pratap Singh, all former Prime Ministers have dedicated memorials, mainly in Delhi and other regions across India.
- Notable memorials include:
- Jawaharlal Nehru’s memorial: Shanti Vana (Delhi)
- Lal Bahadur Shastri’s memorial: Vijay Ghat (Delhi)
- Charan Singh’s memorial: Kisan Ghat (Delhi)
- Indira Gandhi’s memorial: Shakti Sthal (Delhi)
- Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial: Vir Bhumi (Delhi)
- P. V. Narasimha Rao’s memorial: Ekta Sthal (Delhi)
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s memorial: Rashtriya Smriti Sthal (Delhi)
- In 2013, due to limited space, the Congress government mandated that all future memorials be constructed at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal.
Maintenance of Memorials:
- The memorials of notable figures are managed by State Governments and local municipalities.
- The Central Government, through the Ministry of Urban Development, oversees the maintenance of:
- Samadhis near Rajghat, New Delhi
- Morarji Desai’s Samadhi at Abhay Ghat in Ahmedabad
- Rajiv Gandhi Memorial at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
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