Ranchi: The Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday observed the 26th death anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrdom Day) at the state Congress headquarters in Ranchi. Congress workers also remembered the day as Urja Diwas (Energy Day), highlighting Gandhi’s contributions to the nation’s progress.
On the occasion, speakers paid rich tributes to Rajiv Gandhi, describing him as a visionary leader who laid the foundation for a modern India. They recalled his unwavering commitment to peace, unity, and the dream of a united India. His sacrifice, they said, would always be remembered by the people of the country.
Speakers noted Rajiv Gandhi’s deep concern for Jharkhand and its people. They recalled his public meetings in Gumla, Simdega, and Khunti, where he emphasized that the development of tribals and other communities in the region was not possible without the formation of a separate Jharkhand state.
During his tenure as Prime Minister, Gandhi prioritized Jharkhand’s interests in national development plans. His vision of implementing Panchayati Raj—local self-governance—remains incomplete in Jharkhand and needs to be fulfilled, they said.
The speakers also highlighted his efforts to decentralize power and empower elected representatives at the village level, believing that the transformation of rural India could only be achieved through grassroots governance.
Calling him the architect of India’s entry into the computer age, they said Rajiv Gandhi laid the groundwork for leading the country into the 21st century.
Among those who paid floral tributes were Minister Radhakrishna Kishore, Anukul Mishra, Rakesh Sinha, Satish Paul Munjni, Amulya Neeraj Khalko, Sonal Shanti, Gajendra Singh, Jagdish Sahu, Khurshid Hasan Roomi, Rajan Verma, Suryakant Shukla, Akhtar Ali, Hussain Khan, Ajay Singh, Jitendra Trivedi, Md. Safar, Raju Ram, Tribhuvan, Prabhat Kumar, Raju Verma, Rakhi Kaur, Chandra Rashmi Pingua, Anwar Hussain, Usha Khalkho, and Riya Tulika, among others.