Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 31: The Pradesh Congress observed 31st death anniversary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi throughout the State today.
The main function in this connection was organized at Indira Chowk, Jammu which was presided over by PCC president Ghulam Ahmed Mir and was attended by several senior leaders of PCC, DCC, BCC, Mahila Congress, PYC and other frontal organisations of the party besides Ward Committees of Jammu city in large number.
While paying tributes to the Late Prime Minister, Mr Mir said that the martyrdom of Indira Gandhi for the cause of nation’s unity and integrity will be remembered for generations to come. Her glorious achievements like Green Revolution, Twenty Point Programme, Bank Nationalisation, Pokhran-I and Garibi Hatao Programme will always remind us of her great contribution to build modern India.
PCC president strongly criticized the present NDA Govt for diluting the achievements of great leaders who sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle and worked tirelessly for nation building after independence.
Mr Mir said that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had sacrificed their lives for the unity and integrity of the Country, but it is unfortunate that the BJP is trying to rewrite history. He said that BJP can burn or sink the history books but it cannot omit the name of Mahatma Gandhi, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi from the heart and minds of crores of people of India as well as the World.
Former Ministers Raman Bhalla, Sham Lal Sharma, G M Saroori (MLA) and Aijaz Khan (MLA) while paying rich tributes to Late Gandhi recalled her supreme sacrifice for the unity and integrity of the country and said that she enhanced the image of India in the community of nations by her farsighted stewardship.
Prominent among those who attended the function included Dharam Pal Sharma (Ex-MP); Kanta Bhan; Ravinder Sharma (EX-MLC); Rajnish Sharma, general secretaries PCC Yogesh Sawhney, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Indu Pawar, Manjit Singh, Vikram Malhotra, Manmohan Singh, Namrata Sharma; Shiv Dev Singh (Ex-MLA); president DCC Jammu (U) Anil Chopra; BS Sambyal (Seva Dal); Shiv Kumar Sharma (INTUC); Neeraj Kundan (NSUI); Vinod Mishra, Maheshwar Singh, Hari Singh Chib, Shashi Sharma, Pawan Raina, Neeraj Gupta, Ashwani Puri, Pawan Singh, Thomas Khokar, Manjit Singh Jatt, Rajni Bala, Nadeem Sharief Niaz, Kushal Bali; B B Gutpa, Mian Nazir Ahmed, Madan Lal Malagar, Dr Ramakant Khajuria, Lalita Sharma, Raj Bakshi, Jawahar Kaul, Pawan Dev Singh and CL Bhatt.
Similar function was held at PCC headquarters Srinagar which was presided over by former PCC chief, Peerzada Mohd Sayeed. Several former ministers /legislators, DCC and BCC functionaries and sitting MLAs and MLCs attended the programme. They all paid rich tributes to late Indira Gandhi and recalled her contributions for the party and the country. Peerzada addressed the gathering and appealed the people to remain vigilant from the forces who are hell bent to divide people on the communal lines. He said that BJP and PDP are playing dangerous game in this sensitive State for their vested interests and Congress will not allow them to succeed in their designs.
Senior Congress leader and former PCC secretary Hukum Chand along with other Congress leaders and workers paid rich tribute to late Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary and appealed the people to remain vigilant from the communal forces.
In his address Hukam Chand said that Indira Gandhi sacrificed herself for the unity and integrity of the country but some forces are trying to divide the people on community basis. Referring to the recent High Court judgment on reservation in promotions, he said that the decision of the Court is a welcome step as after lapse of about 65 years of independence the country is still in a chronic disease of reservation and that too, in the promotions. He said that about 25% population of the country is enjoying more than 50% reservation benefits, but still they are not happy even after lapse of more than 65 years. He appealed the Govt to book the leaders of the Government employees’ unions who are communalising and dividing the country on the community basis. He pleaded for reservation on economic basis.
Meanwhile, Former MLA Ramban Ashok Kumar and other party workers in a function held at Ramban also paid rich tributes to Late Indira Gandhi and former Home Minister and Iron man of India, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel today. Congress activists in Kishtwar, under the leadership of Randeep Bhandari also organised a function and paid tributes to late Indira Gandhi.
Nationalist Congress Party’s, J&K unit observed martyrdom day of Late Indira Gandhi at the party office here under the leadership of Thakur Randhir Singh, former Minister and State president of the party. Randhir Singh recalled the contributions of late Indira Gandhi and said that she brought great honour and respect to the nation by her historic decisions. He termed Late Gandhi a strong and most popular leader of her times.
Gandhi Global Family under the leadership of Padamshree SP Verma paid floral tributes to Late Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary and remembered her unparallel contributions towards nation building and nation integration. K K Gandotra, Manish Joshi, Vikram Gujral, Farooq Mughal, S Amarjeet Singh and Robert Massih were also present.
Follow our WhatsApp channel