Tributes to former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, India lost its great global figure Statesman !

ARUN JOSHI, VETERAN JOURNALIST, EDITOR SCRIBES WORLD

Today India lost its great global figure Statesman a non political but great Economist Prime Minister who changed the scenario of the country by his policies such as right to food and right to education who took out country which was reeling under grave economic crisis. He was extreamly polite but stiff on his decision and he brought country forward in all spheres without singing his achievements. He was known as Manmohan Singh. He was a world leader respected by all world leaders. It was only he who could clinch a difficult Nuclear 1 2 3 agreement with United States despite protest within his coalition parties. He could run a Coalition government for ten long years composed of loggerheads parties as in 2004 Congress Party had to choose its leader in Central Hall of the old Parliament. I was witness to that occasion for the news coverage of All India Radio. I was sitting in the last row to see the proceedings. Hall was full of newly elected Congress MPs. I saw Smt Sonia Gandhi entering the hall accompanied by Dr Manmohan Singh.

A wave of shock swept among elected members of Congress Parliamentary party.

Realising that Sonia Gandhi may propose the name of Dr. Manmohan Singh as Leader of the house and Prime Minister, there was a sudden uproar among MPs and they rushed and surrounded rather Gheraod Indira Gandhi with protests and slogans request her that she be the Prime Minister.

I saw Among MPs Suresh Pachauri and Renuka Chaudhary very aggressive and sat on ground in front of Sonia requesting her to take up the leadership to become Prime Minister. Mrs Sonia Gandhi turned very strict and did not buzz to the protest and very firmly rejected the request of MPs declaring that Dr Manmohan Singh will be the Prime Minister. Seeing her determination MP bowed down and then history is known everyone.

I am lucky that I travelled accompanying Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on his two foreign trips of Cuba and China. China in 2008 and Cuba in 2006 to attend NAM summit. I am sharing a memoire about Cuba trip.

The legendary old man of Havana world figure Fidel Castro had retired as head of the country and reins of state had come in hands of his younger brother Raul Castro. Fidel who had just recovered from protracted illness was meeting heads of the nations attending NAM Summit.

The meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh was slotted much late. As Indian diplomats were trying hard to arrange a meeting, a whisper erupted in air that Fidel was reluctant to meet because he considered Indian Prime Minister as pro American. Fidel loved, adored and respected Indira Gandhi for her rigid and strong anti America stances.

In 1981 NAM summit while giving charge to India, his hug to Smt Gandhi became a Photo of century. I was part of AIR’s NAM coverage team then and saw the moment then.
Finally Fidel met Dr Singh around mid night during the summit.

We received a call from Sanjai Baru, the press adviser of PM that only cameramen photographers and AIR correspondent can cover the meeting of two. Dr Manmohan Singh was waiting.

A few moments later frail grand old man Castro entered and hugged Manmohan Singh.

During chats Fidel asked him “ I wonder how do you feed your one billion people !” Economist Dr Singh suitably replied “ Excellency now we grow enough to feed one more billion people “. Hearing this, a blissful Fidel pulled Dr Singh close to him and told photographers “ Take a photo of both of us and show to your one billion people that I am together with your Prime Minister “. As expected we were asked to hold the story sensing sarcasm.

Opposition named him as “Maun Prime Minister” but he addressed two hundred press conferences in his ten years tenure. He was a silent decision maker who yielded real results through his schemes. Simple living was his Moto.He was a most respected economist Prime Minister by the world leaders. He would prefer Mah de Dall and Roti in his lunch and dinners. If Nehru was maker of Modern India Dr Manmohan Singh laid the foundation of economically rich India through his well thought result oriented schemes.