Indira Gandhi death anniversary: Congress leaders, PM Modi pay tribute

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid their tribute to the first female prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary today.

Remembering his Dadi, Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote, “Remembering Dadi with a deep sense of happiness. She taught me so much and gave me unending love. She gave so much of herself to her people. I am very proud of her.”

Remembering Dadi today with a deep sense of happiness. She taught me so much and gave me unending love. She gave so much of herself to her people. I am very proud of her.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 31, 2018

The Congress party in a tweet said, “Today we honour the Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, the first female Prime Minister of India & one of the strongest leaders our country has seen. Through her premiership, our nation saw great victory, incredible development & most importantly upliftment of all sections of society.”

Today we honour the Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, the first female Prime Minister of India & one of the strongest leaders our country has seen. Through her premiership, our nation saw great victory, incredible development & most importantly upliftment of all sections of society. pic.twitter.com/LwM3Se3305

— Congress (@INCIndia) October 31, 2018

Indira — India’s first female prime minister and the second-longest serving PM of the country after her father Jawaharlal Nehru, was assassinated on October 31, 1984.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, paid tribute to the former PM on her death anniversary. He wrote, “Tributes to our former Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.”

Tributes to our former Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2018

General Secretary AICC and Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan also paid his tribute to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.

I pay my humble tributes to former PM Smt #IndiraGandhi ji on her death anniversary. She contributed immensely towards national unity n
integrity. As the Nation’s #IronLady in the true sense, she led the country to victory over Pakistan in 1971. pic.twitter.com/u2rp96juDB

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 31, 2018

Indira Gandhi was appointed the president of the Congress in 1959. She served as first female prime minister of the country from 1966 to 1977. She had to lose power soon after the period of Emergency (1975-77) after national discontent and countrywide protests.

But when she returned to power in 1980, she ordered the storming of the Sikh holy shrine Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, which led to her assassination. She went to war with Pakistan supporting the independence movement in East Pakistan leading to the formation of Bangladesh.

Also read: The Accidental Prime Minister: From Manmohan Singh to Sonia Gandhi, who plays who