PTI
NEW DELHI, MAY 21
Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was today remembered on his 24th death anniversary with several leaders paying homage at his memorial here.The late leader’s wife and Congress President Sonia Gandhi accompanied by son and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi and son-in-law Robert Vadra offered flowers at his memorial ‘Vir Bhumi’ here.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a number of party leaders including PC Chacko, Oscar Farnandes, Gulam Nabi Azad, Ajay Maken were among those who also paid tributes to the leader.
The programme included Morning Raga recital by Pt Ripesh Mishra and Pt Rajneesh Mishra.
It was followed by playing of an audio excerpt of a speech delivered by Rajiv Gandhi calling upon people for “building bridges, sinking differences and fighting for freedom” and talking about “awareness of younger generation.”
After conclusion of the programme at Vir Bhumi, the Gandhi family reached Shakti Sthal, memorial of late Indira Gandhi, to pay their homage.
Returning from there, Rahul with folded hands greeted a large crowd of party workers who hailed late Rajiv And Indira.
Rajiv Gandhi, who was the sixth and youngest PM of India, was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu during a poll campaign.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid his tributes to Gandhi on micro-blogging site Twitter.
“My homage to former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary,” he said in a tweet.
In Amethi, congress workers paid tribute to Gandhi by distributing sharbat to people.
At central office of the party at Gauriganj area in the district, the party workers paid floral tributes to Gandhi, who was an MP from Amethi.
In Uttarkhand, Chief Minister Harish Rawat described Gandhi as an efficient administrator and a farsighted politician who gave a new direction to the country.
“Besides bringing about a revolution in the field of information technology, the former prime minister also took very significant steps towards implementation of development schemes at the rural level by vesting more powers in panchayati raj institutions,” Rawat said in a message on the occasion.
It was Rajiv Gandhi who for the first time linked the country’s youth to the political mainstream by granting them voting rights at the age of 18, he said.
Rawat said the late prime minister laid down his life to protect the integrity of the country and combating terrorism in a determined way will be a true tribute to him.
Prez, VP conspicuous by their absence at Rajiv’s memorial
PTI
NEW DELHI, MAY 21
President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari were conspicuous by their absence at the memorial to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary today, apparently against the backdrop of new government’s decision that such functions will be a non- governmental affair.
Both the leaders had visited ‘Vir Bhumi’, the memorial to the late leader, in previous years to pay their homage but did not do so today.
Rajiv’s wife and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by son and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi and son-in-law Robert Vadra offered flowers.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a number of party leaders including P C Chacko, Oscar Fernandes, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ajay Maken were among those who paid tributes to the leader.
Explaining the President’s absence, Rashtrapati Bhawan sources said that the Congress party, which organised the function, was following the new government’s decision that such functions should be either family or party affair.
The Congress sources also said that the party had requested both the President and the Vice President to attend Rajiv’s birth anniversary function only which falls on Aug 20
Rajiv Gandhi, who was the sixth and youngest PM of India, was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu during election campaign.
