Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Criticizes Gandhi Family for Overlooking Non-Gandhi Congress Leaders

New Delhi: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, on December 29, accused the Gandhi family of failing to show respect to non-Gandhi leaders within the Congress party. In a scathing remark, he rejected Congress’s claims that the Centre had insulted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated memorial site, calling such accusations “unfortunate and cheap politics.”Speaking with PTI, Joshi emphasized that despite ideological differences, Manmohan Singh, India’s first Sikh prime minister, deserved respect. He praised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ensuring that Singh’s funeral received full state honors as per the wishes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Joshi also pointed out that the Congress had failed to honor other prominent figures, such as former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and former President Pranab Mukherjee. He referenced Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter’s criticism of the Congress for not convening a CWC meeting after her father’s passing. “The Gandhi family has repeatedly shown disregard for non-Gandhi Congress leaders, even withholding the Bharat Ratna from Narasimha Rao and failing to give due recognition to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,” Joshi added.The Union Minister, who is in Tripura for a two-day visit to review centrally sponsored schemes under his ministries, urged the Gandhi family to reflect on their treatment of these leaders.