‘History will remember him kindly’: Sonia Gandhi hails Manmohan Singh’s legacy after SC relief in coal case

NEW DELHI: Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday described the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the CBI’s clean chit to former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the coal block allocation case as a historic moment.

In an editorial opinion published in an English daily, Sonia Gandhi said it had brought an end to what she called a prolonged “political witch-hunt” against the veteran economist and statesman. Manmohan Singh passed away in December 2024.

Dr Singh had been accused along with five others in the case. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant accepted the two closure reports filed by the CBI after investigation, set aside the March 11, 2015 order of the Special Judge taking cognisance of offences under Sections 120-B and 409 of the IPC, and closed the matter on merits.

“The mischievous and indefensible allegations against Dr Manmohan Singh’s integrity have been exposed as hollow, and his record as prime minister is increasingly being recognised for what it was – a period of decisive economic, political, and social advancement in Indian… pic.twitter.com/InCGkrzkHM

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 11, 2026

In the editorial, Sonia Gandhi said the July 29, 2026 judgment marked an important but overlooked moment in India’s political history. She said the apex court’s decision not only accepted the CBI’s closure report but also criticised the trial court for making adverse observations against Manmohan Singh without “compelling reason”.

Sonia Gandhi argued that the ruling had vindicated Dr Singh’s reputation for personal integrity and accountability. She alleged that the campaign against him was driven by a coordinated effort involving sections of the bureaucracy, media, judiciary, civil society and political opponents.

“The bogus crusade against him has come to its inevitable conclusion of nothingness,” she wrote, adding that Dr Singh had been “vindicated on every count”.

Targeting the BJP government, Sonia Gandhi accused it of misusing investigative agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for political purposes. She alleged that these agencies were being used to pressure opposition leaders, while corruption allegations involving those in power were ignored.

Sonia Gandhi also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2017 remark in Parliament against Dr Singh, referring to the “raincoat” comment, calling it one of the lowest moments in parliamentary discourse. She said political introspection should begin with those in power.

Highlighting Manmohan Singh’s decade as prime minister, Sonia Gandhi credited his government with ushering in major economic and social reforms. She said the UPA government recorded strong economic growth, reduced poverty, expanded social welfare programmes and strengthened India’s democratic institutions.

She cited initiatives such as the Right to Information Act, the Right to Education Act, the Forest Rights Act, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), and the National Food Security Act as examples of policies that empowered ordinary citizens.

Sonia Gandhi also praised former PM’s role in negotiating the landmark Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, saying it reflected his political courage and helped establish India’s position on the global stage.

Concluding her article, Sonia Gandhi said Manmohan Singh’s “statesmanship, erudition and fundamental decency” were deeply missed in contemporary politics. She added that history would remember him as a “quiet, gentle but most consequential prime minister” whose contributions to India’s economic and democratic journey would endure. (ANI)