'He had no arrogance': Former Assam official on Manmohan Singh

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Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has a 28-year long link with Assam as a Rajya Sabha MP from the northeast state.


Among the people in the state who have worked closely with Manmohan Singh is former Assam chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna.


Mr Krishna was a district magistrate in Kamrup (Metro) district when he first met Manmohan Singh.


Later, Mr Krishna got an opportunity to work with Manmohan Singh in different capacities, from the finance ministry to the prime minister's office.


Mr Krishna says Manmohan Singh stood apart from present-day politicians in his impeccable honesty, dignity, truthfulness and above all having no arrogance of power.


"As a district magistrate, I oversaw the process of transfer of Manmohan Singh's name in the voter's list from New Delhi to Guwahati. Later, I was called to work with him at the finance ministry when he became Union finance minister," Mr Krishna told News Agency.


"I was invited to the official bungalow of the finance minister for breakfast. It was a big deal for me since I was only seven years into my IAS service," the former chief secretary said.


"Mrs Singh served us breakfast and when I was taking leave, Manmohan Singh not only came all the way out to the street to see me off but actually went on to open the car door for me. I was stunned, embarrassed and amazed at the same time," he said.


"Later, I realised that only someone with vast knowledge as him can do this. He did not carry any arrogance, a character now missing among many successful politicians," he said.


Mr Krishna said Manmohan Singh as an MP from Assam prioritised the primary education sector, and made it accessible to the backward classes.


"Even as a prime minister, Assam remainded his focus. One day he called me and asked about the status of the gas cracker project, to which I briefed him that both the finance and petroleum ministries had given notes that they were not viable.


"But he told me it has to be done as it's part of the Assam Accord and it has to be honoured. Even during the discussion of the demand for NRC, he was serious about it and that the Assam NRC updation had taken place was only because Manmohan Singh took a decision at his level," Mr Krishna said.