Remembering former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 78th birth anniversary, the Congress on Saturday said that his single term as PM will be remembered for far-reaching achievements, including laying the foundation of the telecom and Information Technology revolutions, ushering peace, and empowering youth to transform India.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited their father’s memorial, Veer Bhumi, to offer their homage. But their mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who had recently contracted COVID-19 a second time, was not present.
In Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha members K.C. Venugopal, Ranjeet Ranjan and Rajeev Shukla, were among those who paid their respects by offering flowers to the portrait of the late Prime Minister in the Central Hall.
“Papa, you are always with me, in my heart. I will always try to fulfil the dream that you saw for the country,” Mr. Gandhi tweeted, sharing shared a video and picture collage of his father.
In a Facebook post in Hindi, Ms. Vadra recalled how her father had laid the roadmap for 21st century India by empowering the youth by lowering the age of vote to 18 years; devolving power to the villages through Panchayati Raj; realised the potential of women; and encouraged the use of new technologies.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh, in a statement said six landmark decisions of the Rajiv Gandhi government stand out. First, Mr. Ramesh said, the late Prime Minister deepened the foundations of the IT revolution that has transformed India into the computer, telecom and software development era.
“Second, Mr. Gandhi personally led the way in ensuring that Panchayats and Nagarpalikas were accorded Constitutional status with one-third reservation for women and emerged as effective institutions of self-government,” the Congress general secretary said, adding that the 14 lakh women who are elected to such institutions is a tribute to his determination.
Mr. Ramesh also mentioned various peace accords in the then troubled regions of Assam, Punjab, Mizoram, and Darjeeling that had brought peace and development. “Fourth, he ensured that 18-year olds have the right to vote, opened a new future to youth by establishing the network of Navodaya Vidyalayas in all districts, and had Swami Vivekananda’s birthday declared as National Youth Day,” he said.
Project Clean Ganga, a national wasteland development programme, initiating the process of liberalisation, steps to resolve India’s long-standing issues with China and Pakistan, and submitting an action plan to the United Nations for universal and complete nuclear disarmament were also mentioned as other landmark decisions by Mr. Ramesh.
Several Congress leaders, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also paid tributes.
In a message on the occasion, released by the Chhattisgarh Government, Mr. Gandhi appreciated Mr. Baghel for working tirelessly in the direction of realising the vision of an inclusive society, and said schemes like the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, Godhan Nyay Yojana, and the Narva Garhwa Durva Bhari Yojana, reflect Chhattisgarh’s commitment to social justice and welfare.
