As India mourns the passing of Dr. Manmohan Singh, the air is thick with reflections—not just of his accomplishments but also the controversies, quiet revolutions, and political gambles that defined his legacy. A man often described as ‘the accidental politician,’ Dr. Singh’s journey from economist to Prime Minister is a narrative fraught with intrigue, resilience, and transformation.
1991: The Economic Gambit That Redefined India
The crisis was dire. In 1991, India teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Enter Dr. Manmohan Singh, the newly appointed Finance Minister, who would go on to revolutionize India’s economic landscape. But behind the headlines of liberalization lay a storm of political resistance.
“We have to dismantle the old order,” Singh reportedly told Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, according to insiders privy to those tense meetings. His moves angered powerful lobbies and traditionalists within his own party. Detractors accused him of selling out to Western interests, but Singh remained steadfast. The once cloistered Indian economy burst open, and by 1996, India’s GDP had nearly doubled.
Prime Minister: A Puppet or a Master Strategist?
In 2004, when Sonia Gandhi chose Dr. Singh as the Prime Minister, the narrative was rife with whispers. Was he merely a placeholder? Critics painted him as a man who followed orders, but those within the Congress Party tell a different story.
“He was silent, but he wasn’t weak,” a senior party leader recalled. Case in point: the Indo-US nuclear deal of 2008. Singh risked his government for the agreement, enduring a no-confidence motion and internal party rebellion. His resolute stand, which aligned India with the US on nuclear technology, transformed India’s global strategic position.
Coalition politics further tested his mettle. Allegations of corruption during UPA II tarnished his government’s image. Yet, Singh maintained his characteristic stoicism. In one heated parliamentary debate, he retorted, “History will be kinder to me than my contemporaries are now,” hinting at the burden of navigating an unwieldy coalition while adhering to his principles.
A Polarizing Figure
While his allies championed him as a visionary, opponents called him indecisive. His perceived lack of charisma was juxtaposed with transformative policies like MGNREGA and the Right to Education. Political insiders recall that Singh’s methods often clashed with the Congress’s populist agenda, leading to internal frictions.
“He didn’t play to the gallery,” a former cabinet minister observed. This refusal to pander, while lauded by some, left him vulnerable to public disillusionment as corruption scandals rocked his government.
The Silent Power Broker
Dr. Singh’s real genius, many argue, lay in his ability to navigate India’s deeply fragmented political landscape. Unlike his contemporaries, he avoided flamboyance and preferred behind-the-scenes diplomacy. From coaxing reluctant allies to pushing contentious bills through parliament, Singh wielded quiet power that often went unnoticed.
Perhaps his most underappreciated trait was his ability to listen—a rarity in politics. Colleagues remember him sitting through hours of discussions, rarely interrupting but often concluding with a single, incisive observation that would shift the course of debates.
A Legacy of Contradictions
Dr. Manmohan Singh’s political journey is a paradox. A man who reshaped India’s economy and diplomacy yet struggled with public perception. A leader accused of being remote, yet revered by those who worked closely with him. As India reflects on his life, it’s clear that his legacy—equal parts brilliance and controversy—will remain a subject of debate for years to come.
He wasn’t a populist leader, nor did he strive to be one. But in the end, perhaps that’s what made Dr. Manmohan Singh a politician like no other.