Assam govt announces 7-day mourning in honour of former PM Manmohan Singh

The Assam government has declared a seven-day state mourning in honour of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday.

The national flag will fly at half mast at all state government establishments and all official entertainment programmes are cancelled, he said.

The state mourning, beginning from December 12 will last till January 1, 2025.

'As a mark of respect to Dr Manmohan Singh Ji, former Prime Minister of India, Government of Assam will observe a period of 7-day state mourning from 26.12.2024 to 01.01.2025. During this period the national flag will fly at half mast at all state government establishments and all official entertainment programmes are cancelled', the chief minister posted on X.

Manmohan Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms, died in Delhi on Thursday night at the age of 92. He was the prime minister during 2004-14  The former prime minister was a Rajya Sabha member from Assam for five consecutive terms from 1991 to 2019.

His residential address in Guwahati was a rented ground-floor apartment in the house of former Assam Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia in the Sarumotoria area.

Saikia's son and Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia said that he is on his way to Delhi from Belgaum to pay respects to the former prime minister.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and other political leaders in Assam have condoled Singh's death.