New Delhi:
The nation remembered former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 35th death anniversary on Thursday. Mrs Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards just outside her New Delhi residence on October 31st, 1984. India’s first and so far only Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi was at helm of affairs between January 1966 and March 1977. Later, she came back to power in 1980 and remained in the office until her assassination in 1984. Congress top brass including party interim chief and Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former President Pranab Mukherjee and ex-vice president Hamid Ansari paid their tributes to the Iron Lady of India at her memorial Shakti Sthal in New Delhi on Thursday.
Her grandson and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to post an emotional message in her remembrance. “My tributes to my grandmother & former PM, Smt Indira Gandhi Ji on the anniversary of her martyrdom,” Gandhi tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid his heartfelt tribute to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary is also observed as Sankalp Diwas.
“Today we honour the incredible will & sacrifice of India's first female PM, Indira Gandhi. As PM, Mrs Gandhi made immense contributions to our nation's national security, economy, democracy & foreign policy. She will always be remembered for her love for all Indians #IndiasIndira,” the party said on micro-blogging site.
The death anniversary of Indira Gandhi is marked as Rashtriya Sankalp Diwas or National Pledge Day. The occasion is dedicated to Indira Gandhi and her service to India. On this day, people take a pledge for a unified India. This came after Operation Bluestar was executed at Amritsar's Golden Temple, wherein Indira Gandhi had ordered the Indian Army to confront Sikh separatists who had taken shelter in the holy shrine.
