‘Visionary who shaped modern India’: Leaders pay tribute to ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary

My father was a visionary leader whose policies helped shape modern India.

He was a compassionate & kind man, and a wonderful father to me and Priyanka, who taught us the value of forgiveness and empathy.

I dearly miss him and fondly remember the time we spent together. pic.twitter.com/jjiLl8BpMs

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2022

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi posted remembered his father as a visionary leader whom he dearly misses. “My father was a visionary leader whose policies helped shape modern India,” Rahul  wrote, along with a video of Rajiv Gandhi’s speech: “India is an old country but a young nation. And like the young everywhere, we are impatient. I am young and I too have a dream. I dream of India strong, independent, self-reliant and in the forefront and the front rank of the nations of the world, in the service of mankind. I am committed to realising that dream through dedication, hard work and the collective determination of our people.”

Congress leaders pay their tributes in New Delhi on Saturday. (Express Photo: Prem Nath Pandey)

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior party leaders paid their homage to the former PM at Vir Bhumi in Delhi.

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi pay homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 31st death anniversary at Vir Bhumi in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/3NVwviAQAr

— ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, tweeted: “On his death anniversary, paying tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi.”

On May 21, 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. Fourteen others, including the suicide bomber Dhanu, were killed.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (May 18) ordered the release of A G Perarivalan, who was in jail for 30 years after being convicted for Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. Perarivalan, alias Arivu, was charged with procuring two batteries that went into the making of the bomb used in the attack.