Revanth Reddy seeks Bharat Ratna and Delhi knowledge centre for Manmohan Singh

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has asked the Central government to confer the Bharat Ratna on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and establish a knowledge centre in his name in Delhi. Mr.

Reddy made the appeal after unveiling a statue of Dr. Singh at Wipro Circle in Hyderabad’s Financial District. He said the former Prime Minister had made an immense contribution to modern India and that some decisions should be taken above political considerations.

The Chief Minister urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the initiative and said Telangana MPs would raise the issue in Parliament. He also expressed disappointment that the Union government had not taken steps to create a lasting memorial to Dr. Singh in Delhi.

Mr. Reddy described Dr. Singh as a “pride of the nation” and said his contribution to India’s economic transformation would be remembered by future generations.

He credited Dr. Singh and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi with helping fulfil the longstanding demand for a separate Telangana State. A replica of Dr.

Singh’s signature on the legislation creating Telangana was displayed at the event. The statue was placed in the Financial District to commemorate Dr. Singh’s contribution to the economy, Mr.

Reddy said, noting that several institutions central to India’s financial system operate in the area. He recalled Dr. Singh’s roles as Reserve Bank of India Governor and Union Finance Minister in the P.V.

Narasimha Rao government, and said he helped the country recover from the 1991 economic crisis. Mr. Reddy also cited the liberalisation policies of that period, along with the Right to Education Act, the rural employment guarantee law and the 2013 land acquisition legislation, as important measures associated with Dr.

Singh’s tenure. Former Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and former Supreme Court judge Justice B.

Sudarshan Reddy also attended and recalled their association with him.