PM Modi, Congress Leaders Pay Tributes To Rajiv Gandhi On 81st Birth Anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to former PM Rajiv Gandhi on the occasion of his 81st birth anniversary.
Rajiv Gandhi, who served as India's Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, assumed office following the assassination of his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At the age of 40, he became the youngest Prime Minister in Indian history.
Taking to X. PM Modi posted, "On his birth anniversary today, my tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji."
On his birth anniversary today, my tributes to former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 20, 2025
Rajiv Gandhi led the country until the 1989 general elections, after which he served as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He resigned in December 1990, just six months before he himself was assassinated in a brutal terrorist attack.
According to the PM India website, Rajiv Gandhi, born on August 20, 1944, in Bombay, was just three when India became independent and his grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, became the first Prime Minister of the country.
His parents, Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi, moved to New Delhi from Lucknow when his father became an MP.
Earlier in the day, the Congress party paid homage to Rajiv Gandhi, marking the occasion of his birth anniversary, also celebrated as 'Sadbhavana Divas'.
Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal arrived at the Veer Bhumi in New Delhi, along with many party leaders and workers, to pay their solemn respects to the former Prime Minister.
During this occasion, Priyanka Gandhi's husband, businessman Robert Vadra and their son Raihan Vadra also paid floral tributes to Rajiv Gandhi.
देश के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री स्व. श्री राजीव गांधी जी की जयंती पर कांग्रेस महासचिव श्रीमती @priyankagandhi जी ने वीर भूमि जाकर उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की।
क्रांतिकारी और दूरदर्शी नीतियों से आधुनिक भारत के निर्माण में राजीव गांधी जी का योगदान हमेशा याद किया जाएगा।
📍 नई दिल्ली pic.twitter.com/z2GKdhf7D3
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 20, 2025
Congress took to X and posted, "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."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
14 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Sweeping powers and the morality ruse
The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill and associated bills that were tabled in Parliament on Wednesday violate the principles that underlie the Constitution and the democratic polity. These bills are ill-conceived and are liable to be unfairly implemented. They seek to punish a person before the crime is proved, as they provide for the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and ministers from office if they are arrested or detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years. The bills have been sent to a joint committee of parliament which is to return them before the next session so that they can be enacted at the in public office is important but it cannot be pursued by circumventing due process. The bills, if enacted, will become another weapon in the hands of the Central government to target Opposition parties and their ministers. Central investigative agencies, including the CBI and the ED, are now being used to hound politicians in the Opposition camp. At present, the law and its existing processes provide them cover but the proposed laws can remove all defences, exposing anyone to politically motivated, vindictive detention. These will be the new Article 356, without its safeguards and procedures, enabling the Central government to destabilise state governments. The bills are out of tune with the essential norms of parliamentary democracy and deal a blow to constitutional federalism. They challenge the separation of powers between the organs of state and give executive agencies unfettered power to dismiss elected government has sought to justify the bills on the ground of public interest and the need for elected representatives to be honest and above suspicion. But going by the Narendra Modi government's record, these ethical and moral arguments would be mere excuses for targeted actions against the opponents. Long-drawn legal processes and low rates of conviction may have prompted the government to explore quicker ways to get at its political opponents. The bills are not aimed at cleansing the political system but at weakening the Opposition. They are unlikely to pass the judicial muster, even if they get parliamentary approval, because they go against the basic tenet of the rule of law that no one can be held guilty till proven otherwise. The resignation of people holding office is a political matter between them, their parties, and the people. The law should have no role to play until they are proven guilty.
Hans India
24 minutes ago
- Hans India
India-Russia Strengthen Partnership Through Energy Cooperation And Balanced Trade Discussions
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov engaged in comprehensive discussions in Moscow on Thursday, focusing on expanding bilateral trade relationships in a sustainable manner while ensuring long-term supply arrangements for critical commodities including fertilizers and maintaining robust energy cooperation. The high-level diplomatic engagement emphasized that India-Russia relations remain among the world's most stable major partnerships, driven by geopolitical alignment and strong public support. The ministerial talks took place one day after Jaishankar co-chaired a bilateral trade and economic commission meeting, highlighting the strategic importance both nations place on strengthening their economic ties. During the discussions, Jaishankar addressed several pressing concerns affecting bilateral relations, including India's substantial trade deficit with Russia, non-tariff barriers that impede commerce, regulatory obstacles, and the sensitive issue of Indian nationals serving in the Russian military. Following his discussions with Lavrov, Jaishankar also held a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is anticipated to visit India later this year for a summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This diplomatic engagement occurred against the backdrop of Jaishankar's recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi, aimed at normalizing India-China relations, while tensions with Washington continue to escalate over trade disputes and punitive American tariffs on Indian goods. Opening the formal discussions, Jaishankar emphasized the global context shaping their bilateral engagement, noting the evolving geopolitical landscape, shifting economic and trade dynamics, and both countries' shared objective of maximizing their complementary strengths. Lavrov responded by highlighting the special significance of India-Russia relations, particularly as the world witnesses the emergence of new international relationship architectures. During a joint press conference following their talks, Jaishankar characterized India-Russia ties as representing one of the world's steadiest major relationships, with geopolitical convergence and popular sentiment serving as fundamental driving forces. He stressed that as both nations work toward expanding bilateral trade, growth must occur in a balanced and sustainable fashion through increased Indian exports and resolution of non-tariff barriers and regulatory impediments. The trade relationship presents both opportunities and challenges, with bilateral commerce reaching a record $68.7 billion in 2024-25. However, this figure masks a significant imbalance, as India's exports totaled merely $4.88 billion compared to much larger Russian exports to India. This disparity has grown dramatically, expanding nine-fold from $6.6 billion to $58.9 billion over the past four years, creating an urgent need for corrective measures. Jaishankar emphasized that enhancing Indian exports in key sectors including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and textiles would help address this substantial trade imbalance. Both sides explored strategies to ensure sustained fertilizer supplies and maintain energy cooperation through expanded trade and investment arrangements. Russia currently supplies nearly 40 percent of India's energy requirements, with Indian imports of petroleum and crude oil valued at $53 billion in 2024, according to United Nations data aggregation. The discussions addressed practical measures to enhance economic cooperation, including improved mobility arrangements for skilled Indian workers to meet Russia's labor demands, particularly in information technology, construction, and engineering sectors. Jaishankar advocated for expediting the establishment of two Indian consulates in Kazan and Yekaterinburg to facilitate these enhanced economic linkages. Both ministers examined connectivity initiatives designed to deepen economic relationships and reduce transit times, including the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor, and the Northern Sea Route. These infrastructure projects represent strategic investments in long-term economic partnership between the two nations. Jaishankar described defense and military cooperation as robust, emphasizing Russia's support for India's "Make in India" initiatives through joint production arrangements and technology transfer programs. This collaboration continues despite criticism from the United States regarding India's defense procurement from Russia. A sensitive topic addressed during the talks involved Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army. Jaishankar acknowledged progress in resolving these cases while noting ongoing concerns, stating that while many individuals had been released, pending cases and missing persons remained issues requiring expeditious resolution from Russian authorities. According to official Indian data, 126 Indians were recruited by Russian military forces, with 12 fatalities during combat operations in Ukraine. Russian authorities discharged 96 individuals, while 16 others remained listed as missing. Regional security issues featured prominently in the discussions, including developments in Ukraine, West Asia, and Afghanistan, along with India's ongoing struggle against cross-border terrorism. Jaishankar reiterated India's diplomatic approach emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy for conflict resolution, while affirming that India and Russia would jointly combat all forms of terrorism. He conveyed India's unwavering commitment to zero-tolerance policies against terrorism and the nation's sovereign right to defend citizens against cross-border terrorist activities. The ministerial engagement served as preparation for the anticipated Modi-Putin summit, with Jaishankar noting that both sides were developing concrete outcomes for the high-level meeting. He emphasized that practical steps were being implemented to ensure substantial growth in the bilateral relationship beyond diplomatic rhetoric. These discussions occurred as India navigates complex international relationships, balancing its traditional partnership with Russia against growing tensions with the United States over trade policies. The meetings demonstrate India's commitment to maintaining strategic autonomy while pursuing its national interests across multiple international partnerships. The talks reflected both countries' determination to strengthen their partnership despite external pressures and changing global dynamics. By addressing practical challenges including trade imbalances, regulatory barriers, and human resource mobility, both sides demonstrated commitment to building a more robust and sustainable partnership capable of withstanding international political pressures. The comprehensive agenda covered during the Jaishankar-Lavrov talks illustrates the multifaceted nature of India-Russia relations, encompassing energy security, defense cooperation, trade expansion, technological collaboration, and regional security concerns. This diplomatic engagement reinforces both nations' commitment to deepening their strategic partnership while adapting to evolving global circumstances and maintaining their respective national interests in an increasingly complex international environment.
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cong worker's ‘Ladli Behna' remarks trigger row
Bhopal: A video appeared to be of a local Congress functionary in Rajgarh on women beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme went viral on Thursday. The Congress district panchayat member Yashwant Singh Gurjar is seen addressing the gathering at a welcome ceremony of the newly appointed district Congress president Priyavrat Singh earlier this week, wherein he said, "Ladli Behaniya, sab ab bori mein bhar denge (Ladli Behnas, we will pack you in gunny bags). " The state BJP has said, "The statement amounts to humiliation of women by the Congress party . Speaking to TOI, state BJP spokesman Ajay Singh Yadav said, "The Congress party is essentially anti-women. PCC chief Jitu Patwari had referred to a former woman MLA as 'chanchni (sugar syrup)'." State Congress' spokesman Mithun Ahirwar defended, "Congress party respects all women enrolled or not enrolled in the Ladli Behna Scheme. The scheme was the brainchild of the Congress party and we will ensure that beneficiaries of the scheme get the stipend of Rs 3000 as promised by the BJP before the assembly elections." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
