PM Modi pays tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 29th death anniversary. Rajiv Gandhi had been assassinated on May 21, 1991, twenty-nine years ago, by a suicide bomber belonging to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. PM Modi took to Twitter to pay tributes to his predecessor.

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Rajiv Gandhi's son and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter to pay homage toe late former Prime Minister, saying, "he is proud to be the son of a true patriot".

"I am proud to be the son of a true patriot, liberal and philanthropic father. As Prime Minister, Rajiv Ji has put the country on the path of progress. With his forward-looking empowerment, he has taken the necessary steps. Today on his death anniversary. I salute him with affection and gratitude," Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi on his father and former Prime Minister's death anniversary.

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About Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi served as the sixth Prime Minister of India from 1984 to 1989 as he took charge of prime ministership after his mother and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. Having gone to the United Kingdom for his studies and after returning to India in 1966, Rajiv Gandhi had worked as a professional pilot for state-owned Indian Airlines. In 1968, he married Sonia Gandhi, the current president of the Congress party and the United Progressive Alliance chairperson.

Rajiv Gandhi entered politics after the demise of his brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash in 1980. A year later, he marked his first political success by winning his brother’s Parliamentary constituency Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, in the Lok Sabha elections. 

Rajiv Gandhi's term in office also witnessed controversies, such as the Bofors scandal, the Bhopal Gas Disaster, and Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum case to name a few. Gandhi remained Congress chief until the 1991 Lok Sabha elections. On May 21, 1991, he was assassinated during an election campaign by a suicide bomber belonging to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.