My father is a tough man, he's not embarrassed or apologetic: Manmohan Singh's daughter

NEW DELHI: Though hurt and upset initially, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken the noise created by his former aide Sanjaya Baru's book with equanimity.

"My father is very tough," the prime minister's daughter Daman Singh told ET. She said that he was taking this with his usual calmness, as he did all other problems. "He never lets anyone else know if he is disturbed about anything. He speaks on things that he feels necessary," she said. Daman did not know her father's political plans, but said that she was certain that he will fulfill his commitments. "He will not let anything come in his way. Why should he be apologetic or embarrassed when he has not done anything wrong? He has a strong sense of duty and he will go about his work as normal. I am sure," Daman said.

Manmohan Singh's family members and friends have formed a protective circle around him. They know that he is feeling "betrayed and hurt" but given his reticence and frugality with words, he is not going to react to Baru's book.

Singh has more or less cleared his office at South Block and is operating out of 7 Race Course Road, the PM's residence that he occupied for a decade. Whatever few files that are still to be cleared are sent to him at his residence.

"He is certainly feeling bad about Baru's book. His initial reaction was to withdraw completely. He did not even want to address any more rallies," a close aide of Singh disclosed. His media adviser Pankaj Pachauri, however, told ET that he will address rallies "as decided by the party."

While Singh has immersed himself in the task of packing his books at 7 RCR, his family sat and decided that some kind of reaction and rebuttal was absolutely necessary to expose Baru's "betrayal of trust."

The eldest daughter Upinder Singh, a History professor in Delhi University, took upon herself to clear the air.

Daman told ET that Upinder had articulated the feelings of the entire family. She had said that Baru's book was like "a stab in the back and a huge betrayal of trust." According to her, Baru had violated the trust of the PM and the access he enjoyed as his media advisor.