New Delhi: Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that her husband and former Prime Minister of the country Rajiv Gandhi accomplished numerous achievements during his short but impactful political career, which was cut short in a very “brutal manner".
Sonia was speaking at the 25th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award ceremony on Sunday, where she reflected on the several achievements of her late husband.
"Rajiv Gandhi's political career was finished in a brutal manner but he achieved many milestones in that short time. He was very sensitive towards the diversity of the country. Whatever time he got to serve the nation, he accomplished uncountable achievements. He was dedicated towards women's empowerment”, Sonia Gandhi said.
“He struggled for the 1/3 reservation of women in Panchayat and Municipals. If today, over 15 lakh elected women representatives are there in rural and urban bodies, it is only because of Rajiv Gandhi's hard work and far-sightedness,” she added, further stating that his government also lowered the age of voting to 18 years from 21 years.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other party leaders including General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra also paid homage to the former Prime Minister at his memorial on the occasion of the former Prime Minister's 79th birth anniversary.
Sonia Gandhi further said that Rajiv Gandhi was a supporter of the protection and conservation of polymorphism present in India.
"He was very sensitive to the fact that the unity of India can be strengthened only by celebrating religious, ethnic, languages and culture," she added.
Earlier today, Sonia Gandhi paid floral tribute to the former Prime Minister at 'Veer Bhumi' in Delhi.
Rajiv Gandhi took over the charge of the Congress in 1984 following the assassination of his mother and then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He assumed office in October 1984, becoming India’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 40. Gandhi served as the Prime Minister of India till December 2, 1989.
He was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber during an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991.
Former vice president M Hamid Ansari on Sunday conferred the 25th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award for 2020-21 on Banasthali Vidyapith, a residential institution for women in Rajasthan.
The award was handed over to Siddhartha Shastri of the institution in the presence of Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
However, Sonia Gandhi further said that the ideals of communal harmony, peace and national unity have become more significant in these present times when the forces giving rise to hatred, division in society, bigotry and politics of bias are getting more active.
"They are also getting the support of the ruling dispensation," she added.