Why tributes to Dr Manmohan Singh cut across party lines?

The demise of India’s former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is being mourned by the entire country. The tributes from his critics are a reiteration not just of Dr Singh’s achievements as Finance Minister and Prime Minister but also his personal qualities - humility and dignity - which are rare amongst politicians.  

While Dr Singh certainly deserves credit for the 1991 economic reforms, there is a tendency to underplay his achievements in the economic and foreign policy realm as PM. 

Being a student of international relations, I have always been an admirer of the late Dr Singh’s pragmatic foreign policy. While there is no doubt that the India-US nuclear deal will be remembered as his major foreign policy achievement, what is often forgotten is his role in improving India-China ties and giving a fillip to ties with Japan and ASEAN countries. It was during his stint as Finance Minister during the Narasimha Rao Government, the foundations of the Look East Policy – now referred to Act East – had been firmly laid.  

Dr Singh's efforts towards improving ties with Pakistan and other neighbours despite lacking sufficient political capital, and opposition from within his own party, were nothing short of commendable. He was born in pre-partition Punjab in Gah Village, Chakwal district (now in West Punjab, Pakistan). In 2008, Dr Singh welcomed his childhood friend from Gah, Raja Mohammad Ali. In what was truly an emotional re-union, gifts were exchanged between both friends. 

While Dr Singh never allowed personal emotions to get the better of him, there were occasions such as the inauguration of the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus, which was later discontinued, where Dr Singh during his speech invoked his personal experiences of partition. He said: 

“This is an emotional day for every Sikh. And for me too. Memories of the partition of 1947 and my own travel from Pakistan to India come vividly to my mind. My heart swells with pride to launch this bus service connecting two of the holiest sites for the Sikh Panth”. 

While never really being jingoistic and keeping the doors for engagement with Pakistan open, Dr Singh was not utopian or blinkered as many would like to believe. Dr Singh also made efforts towards strengthening ties with other neighbours. Economic ties did witness an upswing, but coalition pressures impacted ties with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 

While naysayers may deny the country’s achievements pre-2014, the progress made post the 1990s is clearly an outcome of the economic reforms of 1991 – when Dr Singh was India’s Finance Minister. While today, many ‘left’ activists point to the increasing inequalities – which cannot be denied – they forget that the past three decades have seen progress in several spheres and that life before 1991-- under the Licence Raj -- was not as rosy and kind as is often depicted. What is also forgotten is that Dr Singh believed in balancing free market reforms with welfare. Important welfare policies such as MNREGA were introduced during his tenure as PM.  

Dr Singh, holding the top office as PM, maintained cordial ties with Chief Ministers of opposition parties and was a believer in cooperative federalism.  

Any analysis of Dr Singh without referring to the fact that he happened to be India’s first Sikh PM – taking over exactly two decades after the traumatic events of 1984 -- would be incomplete. Without wearing his identity on his sleeve, he was a firm believer. 

‘Strictly personal: Manmohan and Gursharan’ (2014), written by Dr Singh’s daughter Daman Singh, gives a peek into what Dr Singh felt about the tumultuous period of the 1980’s and 1990’s in Punjab and the feeling of alienation within the Sikh community post the traumatic events of 1984. While Dr Singh as PM did apologise for the 1984 Anti-Sikh massacre, many dubbed this as insufficient.  

While being fair to all states, Dr Singh was always positive vis-à-vis economic demands of his home state of Punjab. Several of the important projects – including higher education institutes -- which have come up in the state are due to his personal intervention and support. 

Individuals in public life who are exceptional are also hamstrung by limitations. But Dr Singh achieved more than anyone else could have despite several impediments. Despite not being a ‘dyed in the wool’ politician, Dr Singh could reconcile several contradictions far better than many other politicians due to his personal qualities and cross-party linkages. History will certainly judge Dr Manmohan Singh as one of India’s finest Prime Ministers.

The author is a policy analyst and faculty member at the Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA.)