Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 34th death anniversary. In a social media, Modi said, “On his death anniversary today, I pay my tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji.”
Rajiv Gandhi was the last Congress Prime Minister to have headed a majority government, from 1984 to 1989. He was assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a Sri Lanka-based terrorist organisation, on this day in 1991 while campaigning at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. His son Rahul Gandhi is currently the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha.
The Congress paid rich tributes to Rajiv Gandhi with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge saying his visionary and courageous interventions were instrumental in preparing India for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi also paid floral tributes to Rajiv Gandhi at his memorial at Vir Bhumi here.
In a social media post in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said, “Papa, your memories guide me at every step. My resolution is to make your unfulfilled dreams come true - and I will do so.”
Paying homage to Rajiv Gandhi, Kharge said he was a great son of India and inspired hope among millions of Indians. “His visionary and courageous interventions were instrumental in preparing India for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century,” Kharge said in his social media post.
“These include lowering the voting age to 18, strengthening Panchayati Raj, spearheading the Telecom and IT revolution, implementing a computerisation programme, securing sustained peace accords, launching a universal immunisation program and introducing a new education policy focused on inclusive learning,” he said. “Our deepest respects to the Former PM, Bharat Ratna, Rajiv Gandhi on his martyrdom day,” Kharge added.