When Manmohan Singh’s ‘People of India Love You’ to George Bush Sparked Controversy

Manmohan Singh: The very important and historic role of Mr. George W. Bush in initiating bilateral works, especially with regard to the epochal Indo-US civil nuclear agreement, was described by Manmohan Singh during the 40-minute meeting with the then president in the green room of the White House on September 25, 2008.

While it's gloomy and raining outside in Washington, the atmosphere is brightening here at the White House during the 8-minute press encounter of the two leaders. The two men exchanged compliments on numerous occasions and made it quite clear that they appreciated each other's partnership.

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Singh's extravagant praise of Bush in what many perceived to be a blanket statement proved somewhat controversial. On Thursday night Manmohan Singh passed away at ninety-two.

The landmark civil nuclear agreement wrote the end of the 34 years' isolation for India in nuclear commerce.

Manmohan Singh under fire

The left, which had withdrawn support to the UPA-1 government because of the nuclear deal, and the BJP criticized Singh's praise of Bush. The Congress, too, which hailed the Indo-US nuclear deal as the greatest achievement for India in the 21st century, found itself on the back foot.

"The people of India deeply love you, and all that you have done to bring our two countries closer to each other is something history will...," Singh remarked at the press conference, which this correspondent also attended.

Bush appreciated his friend's leadership while also remarking on the bond he shared with Singh.

"I appreciate your friendship and I appreciate your leadership," Bush said.

The President then added, "You and I have worked hard to change the relationship between our countries. India is a great country with an incredibly bright future, and it's in the US's interest to have a good, strong strategic relationship with India. And we've worked hard to achieve that."

In reference to the civil nuclear deal launched in July 2005, Bush extended his acknowledgement of the effort, saying, "It has taken a lot of work on both our parts, a lot of courage on your part."

"All in all, ours is a very strong relationship at both the state level and the personal level, and I appreciate you coming," Bush concluded.

In his response, Singh remarked, "When history is written, I think it will be recorded that President George W. Bush played a historic role in bringing our two democracies closer to each other."

Singh, widely known for his integrity to make Indo-US nuclear deal happen, told Bush that the strongest and most important cast in the huge transformation of India-United States relations has been brought by him-The President.

Reflecting on the challenging journey of the Indo-US nuclear deal, Singh emphasized, "These are difficult issues, and at each stage it was your leadership, your personal intervention, which resolved all the difficulties that were affecting the progress of these negotiations."

Speaking about how the nuclear restrictive regime would come to an end after the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver, Singh said, "For 34 years, India has suffered from a nuclear apartheid. We have not been able to trade in nuclear material, nuclear reactors, nuclear raw materials. And when this restrictive regime ends, I think a great deal of credit will go to President Bush. And for this, I am very grateful to you, Mr. President."

Again in 2009, a year later after he left office, Bush showered his praises on Singh when he visited India.

Bush said, "I really admire Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister is a wise leader," at the HT Leadership summit in Delhi on October 31, 2009.

Bush is praised for his humor and complimented Singh just a day after the Indian leader described him as a "great friend of India."

Bush said that he was among those who appreciated Singh for his contribution in the economic liberalization process initiated by India in 1991, as one of the two radical transformations in Indo-US relations.

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Bush, returning on his second visit to India since March 2006, on his visit as President, expressed his pride in returning.

Reacting to Singh's remark, "The people of India deeply love you," CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat quipped, "We always knew that PM Manmohan Singh is in love with President Bush. Why is he getting the people of India in between (the relationship)?"

CPI National Secretary D Raja also criticized the statement, noting, "At a time when Bush's rating is so low in his own country, it does not augur well for the Indian PM to say such a thing."

The BJP echoed similar sentiments. "All I can say is that the personal adulation of PM Manmohan Singh cannot become India's adulation," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad stated.

Congress media cell chief Veerappa Moily was unable to defend the Prime Minister's utterance. He said Moily said that this was just a statement expressing the Indian population's "tolerance and accommodating" attitude when asked how Singh could utter such a statement on behalf of them all concerning their feelings towards Bush.

"India has never practiced a hate culture—there's nothing wrong with the PM saying that," he argued.

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