New Delhi, Dec 27: Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) president Sonia Gandhi mourned the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh as her ‘personal loss’ and described him as her ‘friend, philosopher and guide’.
Remembering the values and principles of Dr. Manmohan Singh, she said that he was so gentle in his manner and yet so resolute in his deeply held convictions that the Congress party will always be ‘proud of and remain grateful’ to have a leader like him.
Dr. Manmohan Singh died of age-related illnesses at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday night. He was 92. Sharing a small yet deeply emotional note, the Rajya Sabha MP wrote: “For me, Dr Manmohan Singh’s death is a deeply personal loss. He was my friend, philosopher and guide. To spend any time with him, was to come away enlightened by his knowledge and sagacity, moved by his honesty and integrity, and awed by his genuine humility.” She said that Dr. Singh served the country with ‘all his heart and mind’ and his commitment to social justice, secularism and democratic values remained deep and unwavering, throughout his life. “In Dr Manmohan Singh’s passing, we have lost a leader who was the epitome of wisdom, nobility and humility, who served our country with all his heart and mind. A luminous and beloved guiding light for the Congress party, his compassion and vision transformed and empowered the lives of millions of Indians.” She reiterated Dr. Manmohan Singh’s contributions in the country’s progress and said that his passing away leaves behind a void in our national lives that can never be filled. “We in the Congress Party, and the people of India will forever be proud and grateful that we had a leader like Dr Manmohan Singh whose contributions to India’s progress and development are immeasurable,” said the former Congress president. Further, taking pride in his endearing personality, Sonia wrote, “Respected and admired by leaders and scholars all over the world, he was hailed as a statesman of immense wisdom and stature. Dr .Manmohan Singh brought brilliance and distinction to every high office that he held. And he brought pride and honour to India.” –IANS mr/pgh