BJP owes apology to Manmohan Singh after SC acquittal: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday said the BJP owes an apology to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh following his acquittal by the Supreme Court in the coal block allocation case, arguing that the verdict showed his integrity was never in doubt.

In a post on X, Satheesan referred to a recent article by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi titled 'History will indeed remember Dr Manmohan Singh kindly', published in The Indian Express.

Satheesan said Singh had faced a prolonged campaign aimed at undermining his record as Prime Minister.

"For years, a manufactured scandal and a sustained campaign of slander, including that unworthy 'raincoat' jibe on the floor of the Rajya Sabha, were used to bury a governance record that gave India the RTI Act, MGNREGA, the National Food Security Act, the Forest Rights Act and the Right to Education," he said.

He said Sonia Gandhi's article made the case for Singh's legacy "with clarity and dignity" and deserved to be read in full.

Satheesan said the Supreme Court's July 29 verdict had established that Singh's integrity was never in doubt.

He described the former prime minister as a quiet and gentle leader who was among "the most consequential Prime Ministers this republic has had".

"The BJP owes him an apology," Satheesan said.

Singh, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, had been criticised by the BJP and other Opposition parties over allegations arising from the allocation of coal blocks during the UPA government's tenure.

Satheesan's remarks come as Congress leaders continue to defend Singh's record and legacy, particularly against allegations and political attacks surrounding his tenure as prime minister.