‘Great son of India’: Tributes pour in for Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary

I pay tributes to former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji on his death anniversary.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 21, 2023

Rajiv’s son and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a video on Twitter with the caption, “Papa, you are with me, as an inspiration, in my memories, always!”

पापा, आप मेरे साथ ही हैं, एक प्रेरणा के रूप में, यादों में, सदा! pic.twitter.com/WioVkdPZcr

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2023

Accompanied by mother Sonia, sister Priyanka, and All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul paid homage to his father at Vir Bhumi in New Delhi.

Rajiv Gandhi was a great son of India.

Through multiple interventions such as lowering of voting age, strengthening Panchayati Raj,Telecom & IT revolution, and sustained peace accords — he transformed India, propelling it in 21st century.

Our humble homage on his martyrdom day. pic.twitter.com/xxNy1np5JI

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 21, 2023

Calling Rajiv a “great son of India”, Kharge wrote, “Through multiple interventions such as lowering of voting age, strengthening Panchayati Raj,Telecom & IT revolution, and sustained peace accords — he transformed India, propelling it in 21st century.”

देश में आधुनिकता के प्रतीक पुरुष, उन्नति और नवनिर्माण के पर्याय, पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री, भारत रत्न स्व. राजीव गांधी जी की पुण्यतिथि पर हम सब कोटि-कोटि नमन करते हैं।

राजीव जी ने युवा प्रधानमंत्री के रूप में देश की बागडोर संभाली। उनकी नवोन्मेषी और दूरदर्शी युवा सोच के कारण भारत में… pic.twitter.com/0A6UxzZrFp

— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) May 21, 2023

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel also talked about Rajiv’s efforts towards strengthening Panchayati Raj in the country. In a tweet in Hindi, he said, “Rajiv ji did not bow down to terrorism and did not even care about his life for the country. In his honour and to pay tribute to him, his death anniversary, 21 May, is celebrated as Anti-Terrorism Day across the country. By ending the roots of terrorism, naxalism and corruption, everyone’s resolve and work for progress in the country and the state will be a true tribute to Rajiv ji.”

Sh. Rajiv Gandhi ji was a visionary who sacrificed his life for the sake of India’s unity. He was loved by every Indian and his martyrdom was a moment of collective grief for the entire nation.

His death anniversary is an occasion to remember the lofty ideals he stood for and… pic.twitter.com/GNl6Zgph8C

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) May 21, 2023

Rajya Sabha MP K C Venugopal shared a video of Sonia, Rahul, Priyanka, and Kharge at Vir Bhumi and wrote, “Sh Rajiv Gandhi ji was a visionary who sacrificed his life for the sake of India’s unity. He was loved by every Indian and his martyrdom was a moment of collective grief for the entire nation. His death anniversary is an occasion to remember the lofty ideals he stood for and the huge strides we made under his Prime Ministership.”

One of the last major accomplishments of Rajiv Gandhi before his assassination on this day, 32 years ago, was the finalisation of the Congress party’s manifesto for the 1991 Lok Sabha elections. He spent many hours on it.

In July 1991, when Dr. Manmohan Singh as FM was… pic.twitter.com/hjGuECWH1q

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 21, 2023

Among those who cited Rajiv’s contributions to India’s IT boom was senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. Sharing a newspaper cutting with the headline “Cong promises liberalisation drive”, Ramesh wrote: “One of the last major accomplishments of Rajiv Gandhi before his assassination on this day, 32 years ago, was the finalisation of the Congress party’s manifesto for the 1991 Lok Sabha elections. He spent many hours on it.”

He added, “His contributions for taking India into the IT age were also distinctive contributions. He wooed GE and Texas Instruments to kickstart software exports. As also his battle for giving Constitutional status to panchayats and nagarpalikas — a truly transformational move.”

ದೇಶ ಕಂಡ ಅಪ್ರತಿಮ ನೇತಾರ, ಭಾರತದ ಮಾಜಿ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿಗಳಾದ ದಿವಂಗತ ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಜೀವ್ ಗಾಂಧಿ ಅವರ ಪುಣ್ಯಸ್ಮರಣೆಯಂದು ಗೌರವಪೂರ್ವಕ ನಮನಗಳನ್ನು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಟೆಲಿಕಾಂ ಹಾಗೂ ಡಿಜಿಟಲ್ ಕ್ರಾಂತಿಯ ಮೂಲಕ ನವ ಭಾರತದ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣಕ್ಕೆ ಮುನ್ನುಡಿ ಬರೆದ ಶ್ರೀಯುತರು ನಮಗೆಲ್ಲ ಆದರ್ಶಪ್ರಾಯ.#RajivGandhi pic.twitter.com/yTjLQQyJr1

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) May 21, 2023

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said Rajiv “wrote the foreword to the construction of new India through telecom and digital revolution” and “is a role model for all of us”.

To Late Shri Rajiv Gandhi …..

Wherever you are

You are missed Sir….

Photo 👇🏾 @nsui National Delegates Convention April 1989 – Talkatora Stadium New Delhi pic.twitter.com/UmpH6zaQ9K

— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) May 21, 2023

Congress Lok Sabha MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari shared his photo with Rajiv at an NSUI convention from 1989 and wrote, “Wherever you are, You are missed Sir…”