Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday accused the Congress of engaging in “dirty politics” following allegations of mismanagement during the state funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Congress leaders, led by Rahul Gandhi, have attacked the government for holding Singh’s cremation ceremony at Delhi’s Nigambodh Ghat instead of Rajghat, alleging disrespect to the two-time Prime Minister’s legacy.

Responding to the accusations, Puri said, “There is no controversy, but it is being created. The Congress is playing dirty politics.”

Puri also addressed claims that BJP ignored protocol, explaining that a letter from Congress requesting specific arrangements for the funeral arrived late.

“Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter, and the Home Ministry released a communication agreeing to their request. The letter reached us the day after Singh’s demise, at three minutes past midnight,” Puri said.

He attributed the decision to cremate Singh at Nigambodh Ghat to logistical challenges, citing the heavy rain in the national capital on the day.

“The area around Rajghat is flat and prone to water-logging. The weather forecast predicted heavy rain. Ask the Congress if it was possible to erect structures in such conditions in a short time,” he said, adding that his ministry worked within the constraints.

Asked why former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s funeral was held at Rajghat, Puri suggested logistical differences. “We should ask Congress whether such arrangements were feasible during this kind of rainfall.”

He pointed out that the grand old party “insulted” its own leaders in the past, saying, “This is the same Congress which didn’t allow PV Narasimha Rao’s mortal remains to come to the party headquarters, and his final cremation was done in Hyderabad.”

The BJP leader also jabbed the Congress for its past treatment of Singh, and claimed that senior leaders were conspicuously absent from the immersion of his ashes today.

“When Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, Congress went to Beijing and signed an MoU without his knowledge. When he completed two terms, their ‘Yuva netas’ didn’t show up for his farewell. Even today, when his ashes were immersed, our people were there—not Congress,” he charged.

Puri assured that a memorial for Singh would be established.

“We have always admired his work and drawn inspiration from him. A memorial will be built in his honour for sure. I don’t think we should allow those creating controversy to have a free run. We should be in a sombre mood and pay respect to his legacy,” he said.

Manmohan Singh, the country’s first Sikh PM and the architect of India’s economic reforms, was laid to rest with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat on Saturday. The last rites were performed in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other top leaders and foreign dignitaries.