Rajiv Gandhi death: Today is the 28th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Highlights
- PM Modi paid tribute to the former Prime Minister on Twitter
- He was earlier criticized by the opposition for attacking Rajiv Gandhi
- Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi paid tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 28th death anniversary this morning at his memorial, Veer Bhumi, in Delhi. Besides the Gandhi family, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former president Pranab Mukherjee, among other senior party leaders, were also present at Veer Bhumi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Rajiv Gandhi on Twitter. "Tributes to former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary," he tweeted.
PM Modi has been criticized by the Congress and other opposition parties for attacking Rajiv Gandhi, a former prime minister and the father of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, during his campaign for the national election that ended on Sunday.
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991 by a woman operative of the separatist Lankan Tamil outfit LTTE, who greeted him at a rally in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur town with a bomb strapped to her chest. His death anniversary is also observed as Anti-Terrorism day.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted this morning: "My father was gentle, loving, kind & affectionate. He taught me to love & respect all beings. To never hate. To forgive. I miss him. On his death anniversary, I remember my father with love & gratitude."
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also remembered the former prime minister.
Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda, in a series of tweets, paid his respects to the youngest Prime Minister of India. "Today is the day to pay respect to this great leader who dreamed of India in the 21st century and at the same time reflect on his contribution to India," he tweeted. Sam Pitroda worked with him has "an advisor on technology missions," he said.
In another tweet, he said: "Rajiv Gandhi's life was taken away at an early age by a terror attack. His loss left a huge vacuum in politics, leadership, and development in India."
Rajiv Gandhi was just 40 when he became the prime minister of the country in 1984 after his mother's assassination. His mother Indira Gandhi was eight years older when she first became Prime Minister in 1966.