New Delhi [India], August 20 : Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday paid tribute to her husband and former PM Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan. Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also offered floral tributes to their father.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party MP KC Venugopal, and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar were also among those who paid tribute to the former Prime Minister.
Karnataka Deputy CM Shivakumar remembered Rajiv Gandhi for ushering in the IT revolution in India. "Rajiv Gandhi believed in the youth of the country, gave the IT Revolution, brought telephones, while we used to wait for 2-3 years for a connection, and today we have a phone in each pocket... We all remember him for the great sacrifice for our country... I requested all party cadres to follow his footsteps," Shivakumar told reporters.
Earlier in the day, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited Veer Bhumi in New Delhi to pay floral tribute to her father. She was joined by her husband, Robert Vadra, and son Raihan Vadra.
The Congress, in a post on X, wrote, "On the birth anniversary of the architect of modern India, 'Bharat Ratna' former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji, we offer countless salutations. On this Sadbhavana Divas, remembering Rajiv Gandhi ji's dreams, we reaffirm his resolve."
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also offered floral tributes.
Rajiv Gandhi became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he assumed office in October 1984 at the age of 40, following the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He remained in office till December 2, 1989.
Born on August 20, 1944, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.
His government's Computer and IT Policy reduced import duties on computers and software, laying the foundation for India's information technology growth. In 1988, his government's policies helped establish the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), boosting the country's software industry.