Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 20: Pradesh Congress Committee and its frontal organizations besides party workers paid rich tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary across the State today.
Many functions were organized by the Congressmen to celebrate the birthday of Late Rajiv Gandhi at different places. The main function was held at the Pradesh Congress headquarters, Shahidi Chowk Jammu where senior functionaries of the PCC, District and Block Congress Committee members besides heads of various frontal organizations participated. PCC senior vice president Dharam Pal Sharma (Ex-MP), presided over.
While speaking on the occasion, the senior party leaders present described Rajiv Gandhi as the architect of Panchayati Raj System in the country, who fulfilled the dreams of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi to devolve power of planning and development at the grass root level. The 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution were the result of the vision and efforts of Rajiv Gandhi, which has brought the power at the door-steps of the people. The speakers emphasized the need to strengthen the Panchayati Raj System in the State. Rajiv Gandhi also lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years providing opportunity to the youth to participate in the election process.
Prominent among those present included Gurmukh Singh vice president PCC, former Ministers Mula Ram, Gulchain Singh Charak, Ravinder Sharma -MLC, Om Chopra, Vinod Sharma, Th Puran Singh, Parkash Sharma, Shivdev Singh, Bharat Gandhi, C L Bhat, Hari Singh Chib, S R Sudhir, K L Gupta, Manmohan Singh, Ravi Singh Slathia, S S Shingari, Pt Jagan Nath, Padmini Langeh, B B Gupta, Sanjay Sawhney, Chanchal Popli, Jyoti Vaid and others.
In Srinagar office of the Congress Party, the function in this connection was held under the chairmanship of senior vice president of the PCC Muzaffar Hussain Parray -MLC. Senior vice president Bashir Ahmed Magray and Ghulam Nabi Monga-MLCs were also present besides other members of the PCC, DCC and Block bodies besides frontal organizations. The speakers paid floral tributes to the portrait of their late leader and recalled his contributions for the party and the country. The day was observed as Sadbhavna Divas at all the levels in the region and districts across Kashmir. Others present in the function included G N Mir Lasjan, Amreen Badr, Farooq Andrabi, Shaneema Sopori, G M Sheikh, Shameema Khan, Khursheed Ahmed Zargar, Abdul Ghani Khan, Jan Mohd Reshi, Shameema Iqbal and Sayeda.
District Congress Committee (DCC) Udhampur also celebrated birth anniversary of late Rajiv Gandhi in a function held at party office at the district headquarters and paid rich tributes. MLA, Chenani Krishan Chander Bhagat was the special invitee. Several senior leaders including Mr Bhagat, Brij Mohan Sharma, Sumeet Magotra Inayat Ullah, Manmohan Raina Sham Lal Sarpanch Sanjeev Sharma and others paid their rich tributes to their late leader and lauded his contributions.
Another function was held in this connection under the leadership of Ashok Bakshi, senior leader at Dhar Road Udhampur. Several other Congress activists attended the function. District Seva Dal, Udhampur unit also paid tributes to Rajiv Gandhi under the leadership of Yash Pal Sharma district chairman. Senior leader Shakeel Shah was the special invitee.
In Chenani also the Congress activists from Ghordi and other blocks organized a function under the leadership of local MLA Krishan Chander Bhagat and paid floral tributes to late Rajiv Gandhi on his 69th birthday. They garlanded the portrait of Rajiv Gandhi and recalled his contributions for the party and the nation.
Block Congress Committee Akhnoor held a function in this connection under the leadership of Baldev Raj Sharma in the town and paid tributes to former Prime Minister. All the participants while paying their rich tributes recalled the contributions of the late towering leader of the country.
In yet another function held at Vijaypur in Samba today, Rani Gargi Blowria-MLC and other Congress activists paid their tributes to late Rajiv Gandhi. The MLC in her address lauded the contributions of Rajiv Gandhi in the field of IT, Science, Agriculture, Education, Computer technology, Health and Family welfare besides Panchayati Raj System. Former Minister and senior Congress leader Manjit Singh also organized separate function in Vijaypur constituency in this connection.
President LYC Jammu-Poonch Satish Sharma organized another function at JRC Home for Handicapped Udheywalla Jammu in this connection. The day was observed as Sadbhavna Divas. Mr Sharma and his team members interacted with the differently abled children and tried to know about their problems. He stressed that benefits of the schemes meant for these children must reach up to them properly. Sweets were also distributed among the children on the occasion.
Congress Seva Dal Jammu Urban under the leadership of Vipan Nischal, district chief organizer, also celebrated the day and paid tributes to Rajiv Gandhi. Several other members of the district unit also participated in the function. Students of Rajiv Gandhi Degree College organized a function in the college premises in this connection and paid tributes to Late Rajiv Gandhi. Anu Dogra chairperson of the college, highlighted the contributions of Late Rajiv Gandhi. Principal of the college, Dr G P Sachdev and other faculty members were also present.
Meanwhile, chief patron of NPP Prof Bhim Singh while paying tributes to late Rajiv Gandhi described him as highly respectful, humane and nationalist who had his agenda to wipe off terrorism and violence in the country. He never sacrificed his national commitment for the sake of vote bank as Congress and BJP leaders do today. He said signing peace accords with Sant Longewal (Punjab) and Assam accord to restore peace in this regions was a unique effort to strengthen national integration. Prof Singh said that had Rajiv Gandhi lived longer, perhaps the peace would have returned fully to the J&K, Assam and other parts of India.
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