India
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s prediction that history would be kinder to him than the contemporary media and political opposition has gained renewed traction after the Supreme Court rejected his prosecution in the coal block allocation case. Singh, who passed away in December 2024, had been under constant attack for alleged irregularities during his tenure as Prime Minister.
The Supreme Court’s July 29, 2026, order that set aside the order for summoning Singh and upheld the closure report of the CBI has now ended the criminal proceedings against him. Congress feels vindicated as it has been consistently defending Singh’s integrity against what it has termed as a vendetta by the ruling party.
The Supreme Court’s July 29, 2026, decision rejecting prosecution against former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh in the coal block case concluded criminal proceedings, with Sonia Gandhi stating this vindicates his integrity and legacy of good governance, citing schemes like MGNREGA and the Indo-US nuclear deal.
Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi has especially expressed delight that her party’s former leader has been cleared of all allegations. In an article published in the Indian Express on Tuesday, Gandhi has said that Singh’s words in his final press conference in January 2014 have been justified.
Gandhi has asserted that Singh’s clean and honest governance stood in stark contrast to the policies pursued by the Narendra Modi government. Singh was a “quiet, gentle but most consequential prime minister” and history is beginning to recognize his contribution to the country, said Gandhi.
The coal case was one of the most unfortunate episodes in public life, said Gandhi. Singh was subjected to a “witch-hunt” by the ruling party as well as the bureaucracy, media, judiciary, and civil society. The campaign against Singh, she said, ended with the Supreme Court verdict. Singh’s integrity has been upheld, said Gandhi.
Gandhi also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has repeatedly criticized Singh for his alleged misdeeds. She recalled Modi’s infamous 2017 Rajya Sabha speech in which he said that Singh “used to take bath with raincoat on”.
Such unnecessarily personal remarks by Modi, said Gandhi, marked the lowest point in parliamentary democracy.
Gandhi asserted that Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister will always be remembered for good governance. The economic growth during his time, as well as the increase in consumption and private investment, was unparalleled. His government’s various social sector schemes such as MGNREGA, Right to Education, National Food Security, and Forest Rights Acts, among others, have been lauded.
The Indo-US nuclear deal that took bilateral relations to new heights and enabled India to join the global nuclear club was also one of Singh’s major achievements, said Gandhi.
Singh’s interactions with the Parliament and the media also drew praise. He maintained a special relationship with the media by holding more than 100 press conferences. His government also gave space to civil society and student protests. These were some of the most progressive aspects of his government, said Gandhi.
Singh’s legacy, however, remains tied to the Supreme Court verdict that cleared him of all charges. For Gandhi, it was not merely an end to the criminal proceedings. It was a personal statement that vindicated Singh’s integrity and governance as Prime Minister.
Gandhi expressed regret that Singh was not alive to witness the verdict. His words at his final press conference in January 2014 have been proved right, said Gandhi.
History will indeed be kind to him, said Gandhi. Singh was a humble leader who pursued good governance with utmost integrity.
