Funeral Date and Timing
Dr Singh’s funeral will take place on Saturday, December 28, and his final rites will be conducted with full state honours, confirmed Congress General Secretary, KC Venugopal. “The funeral of Dr Manmohan Singh will take place the day after tomorrow, on Saturday,” Venugopal stated late Thursday.
Dr Singh ji’s mortal remains will be at his residence 3, Motilal Nehru Road, New Delhi on Friday for the public to offer their condolences. At 8am on Saturday, December 28, his mortal remains will be taken to AICC HQ and the public and Congress workers will have the opportunity to offer their tributes between 8:30 am – 9:30 am. Dr Singh’s final journey to the heavenly abode will commence from AICC HQ to the cremation ground at 9:30 am.
Reason for Delay in Funeral
Although Dr Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday, his final rites will be perfomed on Saturday because of his daughter’s arrival date. Singh’s daughter, who lives in the United States, will reach Delhi late on Friday night, after which the funeral arrangements will proceed, sources said. It is customary that the family be present for the final rites, and this is why the ceremony has been rescheduled for Saturday.
Funeral Procession Details
According to sources, the public will be given an opportunity to pay their final respects between 8 to 10 am on Saturday at the Congress headquarters. Key party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, will offer their tributes to the former Prime Minister during this time. After this, the funeral procession will begin its final journey, with Dr Singh’s body being taken to the designated site for cremation.
Funeral Location
Traditionally, the funerals of former Prime Ministers are held at designated places in Delhi. According to sources, the last rites of many former Prime Ministers including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi were all performed at the Rajghat, the national memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi.
Dr Singh’s funeral is likely to follow this precedent. However, the exact location of the cremation will depend on a consensus between the family and the government, and an official announcement is expected later on Friday. The Congress party has reportedly requested that Dr Singh’s memorial be located in a manner similar to that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose final resting place, ‘Atal Samadhi’, is also situated in Delhi.
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The government follows a formal protocol for the last rites of all former Prime Ministers. As per tradition, Dr Singh’s body will be draped in the national flag (tricolor) before the funeral procession. Additionally, a 21-gun salute will be given as a mark of respect. National mourning has been declared, during which the national flag will fly at half-mast across the country. No public ceremonies or official functions will take place during this mourning period. The public will also have the opportunity for a final viewing during the state protocol, allowing the nation to bid farewell to their former leader.
Dr Singh had been ailing for some time, and as of now, his body is being kept at his residence. His family is overseeing the final arrangements, while the government remains closely involved in the process, ensuring that the appropriate protocols are followed for a former Prime Minister.
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