Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, others pay tribute to Manmohan Singh at prayer meet

Several top dignitaries paid tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh at a prayer meet organised in his memory at the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj here on Friday.

Among the top leaders who attended the prayer meeting (Kirtan and Antim Ardas) were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) chief Harmeet Singh Kalka were also present.

The DSGMC passed a resolution to start a scholarship in economics in Singh's name in all the colleges run by the committee in Delhi, besides putting up the former prime minister's photographs in all its institutions across the national capital.

Kalka said the DSGMC has also decided to name its new educational institution after Singh in view of his contributions to the country. He said the DSGMC would commemorate the day of Singh's death -- December 26 -- by holding a function every year.

Former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur, former DSGMC presidents Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Paramjit Singh Sirsa, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Bajwa and former deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia also attended the prayer meeting.

Others who attended the ceremony included All India Congress Committee (AICC) treasurer Ajay Maken, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera, former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Preneet Kaur (now in the Bharatiya Janata Party) and former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Randhawa. Several members of Parliament also attended the prayer meet and paid homage to the former prime minister.

Earlier, former vice-president Hamid Ansari, Gandhi and Kharge were among the dignitaries who attended the "Akhand Path" at the former prime minister's residence.

Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur, sang a "shabad" (verse) from Sikh holy scriptures during the "Akhand path" (a continuous recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib).

Singh steered the country as its prime minister from 2004 to 2014 and was considered the architect of India's economic liberalisation and reforms.