A week after his death, close associates fight over Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s legacy

It's been little over a week since former president APJ Abdul Kalam left for heavenly abode, and a discord has already started brewing among his associates.

A week after his death, close associates fight over Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s legacy

Chennai: It's been little over a week since former president APJ Abdul Kalam left for heavenly abode, and a discord has already started brewing among his associates.

At the centre of the controversy is his former associate Srijan Pal Singh, who was with Dr Kalam when he died.

Dr Kalam's office on Wednesday issued a press release in which it disassociated itself from Singh.

Late Dr Kalam's advisor V Ponraj said that Singh was not an official representative of the former president and that he just happened to be with Kalam at IIM Shilong. Singh himself is an IIM graduate.

Shortly after Dr Kalam's death on Monday evening last week, Singh had announced on the former president's Facebook page, that ‘the page is dedicated to your immortal memories…. this account will now reflect thoughts of Dr Kalam and his lessons and missions. Miss you saab’.

Official associates of Dr Kalam are peeved that Singh has been updating the former president's Facebook account and Twitter handle as his own. The same view has been voiced by Ponraj, who has been a close aide of Dr Kalam for over three decades.

“Srijan Pal Singh, who was privately associated with Dr Kalam, in his academic pursuits, is giving statements and using social media. We wish to inform all that this office has not authorised Srijan Pal Singh to interact with the media on or about Dr APJ Abdul Kalam,” read the statement issued by Dr Kalam's office. It was signed by H Sheridon, executive secretary at the office of Dr Kalam.

Singh, who had co-authored books with Dr Kalam, has been giving interviews and posting on social networks ever since the former president died.

Seeking to clarify his position, Singh told an English daily that whatever he has been posting on social media are his views and that the same are not official.  

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