NEW DELHI, 21 August 2004 — Rajiv Gandhi, one of India’s most charismatic prime ministers slain by a suicide bomber 13 years ago, was fondly remembered with floral tributes and project launches on his 60th birth anniversary yesterday. The Congress party, now headed by Rajiv’s widow Sonia, pulled out all stops to make the most of the occasion being celebrated in the backdrop of the party’s return to power after eight years.
Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia were among those who paid tributes at “Veer Bhoomi”, the memorial of the late former premier here, where a carved stone lotus is a new addition. Sonia’s son Rahul, daughter Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra were present, besides a host of Congress ministers and leaders. A children’s choir sang an all-religion prayer in homage to Rajiv.
The Congress has also made elaborate preparations for a meeting of the All-India Congress Committee today to commemorate Rajiv’s achievements and thank Sonia for leading the party to victory. A suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) blew up the former prime minister at an election rally near Madras in May 1991.
As the capital marked the day as “Sadbhavna Diwas” or “Communal Harmony Day”, a cultural program featured children from different schools across the country reciting his selected speeches and quotes.
The state-run national broadcaster Doordarshan telecast news capsules focusing on the nation’s youngest prime minister and a special documentary.
Various government ministries and Congress-ruled states issued advertisements praising Rajiv Gandhi, who took the first but guarded steps toward unshackling India’s tightly controlled economy and putting the country on the path to modernization.
Even ministries headed by the Congress coalition partners vied with one another in praising Rajiv, who became prime minister in 1984 following his mother and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination and lost power five years later. Manmohan unveiled a life-size statue of Rajiv at the Parliament Annexe premises. Afterward several MPs paid floral tributes at the statue.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad launched a computerized rail reservation center at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, the country’s premier healthcare facility here, to mark the occasion.
At another function marking the anniversary, the Indian premier released a commemorative stamp of denomination of Rs. 5.
Industrial houses and Indian Airlines — where Rajiv worked as a pilot before taking the plunge into politics — saluted him with moving eulogies, calling him a “colleague” and a “leader”. In an effort to take benefits of IT to the villages, the Andhra Pradesh state government launched the Rajiv Internet village program that seeks to connect all villages for providing them online information and several citizen services.In Mysore, thousands students took out a rally to commemorate Rajiv’s contribution to the cause of greater use of solar energy. Observing the day as “Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Day” and to create awareness among the public, a program on renewable energy usage patterns was also arranged in the local town hall.
In West Bengal, the Congress received a major boost yesterday when Sudip Bandopadhayay, once a top-ranking Trinamool Congress leader, joined the party. He joined Congress with thousands of his supporters at a crowded function in Calcutta organized to remember the late premier. — Additional input from IANS.
