The Congress on Saturday paid rich tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary with former party chief Rahul Gandhi saying the legacy of the country's first prime minister stands tall like a beacon, illuminating the idea of India and values of freedom and democracy.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi also visited Nehru's memorial at the Shanti Van and paid floral tributes to him. Senior leaders KC Venugopal and Pawan Bansal were among those present at the memorial.
Several party leaders paid tributes on social media to the Congress stalwart. Born in 1889, Nehru remains India's longest-serving prime minister. He was prime minister between August 1947 and May 1964. He passed away on May 27, 1964.
"India of the 21st century cannot be imagined without the contribution of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru," Mr Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.
A fearless defender of democracy, his progressive ideas strongly propelled India's social, political and economic development despite challenges, the Congress president said. "My humble tribute to 'Hind ke Jawahar'," he said.
Paying tributes to the former prime minister, Mr Gandhi in a tweet said Nehru's legacy stands tall, like a beacon, illuminating the idea of India and the values he dedicated his life for – freedom, democracy, secularism and modernity. "His vision and values always guide our conscience and actions," Mr Gandhi said and tagged an audio-visual montage on Nehru.
Paying homage to Nehru, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also shared on Twitter an audio-video montage on the country's first prime minister.
The Congress, from its official Twitter handle, also paid tributes to Nehru.
"We remember Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, our first prime minister and the 'Architect of Modern India' on his death anniversary. A visionary who led the nation to great heights through a plethora of economic policies and industrial establishments," the party said.
"From the 'Temples of Modern India' including IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, DRDO and India's industrial marvels to India's forays into nuclear and space research, it was under him that India's prowess amplified to an unprecedented magnitude. Today, we cherish the legacy of Pandit ji, who brought India to the world stage as a leading, global power," the Congress said.
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