V P Singh completes 75 years

New Delhi, June 25 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his predecessor I K Gujral, several cabinet ministers, many leaders of the erstwhile Janata Dal parivar and Left parties felicitated former Prime Minister V P Singh on his 75th birth anniversary today.

Special functions to mark the day were organised at Mr Singh's residence as well as the residence of union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

At the 1, Teen Murti Marg residence of Mr Singh, his birth anniversary was observed as ''Amrit Mahotsav'' where a galaxy of leaders showered rich praise on the former Prime Minister, describing him as a great statesman, messiah of the poor and deprived who practised politics not for his personal interests and aggrandisement but for the social cause of uplifting the depressed and marginalised people.

Mr Singh's strong will power has defied doctors' diagnoses and estimations about his ill-health and he has endured dialysis for ten years, they pointed out.

Applauding Mr Singh, Mr Paswan said ''he is not merely a politican but a torch-bearer for many younger generation politicians like me''.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said Mr Singh had brought about a social revolution in the caste-ridden Indian society by placing the downtrodden people at par with the priviledged ones and ''his leadership is always acceptable to the Left".

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yachuri described Mr Singh as the ''natural ally'' of the Left as he always opposed communalism and parochial politics.

Former President R Venkataraman said Mr Singh had practised 'mature politics' and exhibited astute understanding in running a coalition of parties with diametrically opposed ideologies.

Mr Gujral said no one could question the integrity, sincerity and honesty of Mr Singh and his devotion to the cause. He had several dimensions to his personality as an artist, painter and campaigner for the cause of the poor, he said.

A book 'Manzil Se Zyada Safar', compiling the views and political events in Mr Singh's life edited by journalist Ram Bahadur Rai was released on this occasion.

UNI JSS MIR KN2152