On October 31, 1984, India’s third and first woman prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her bodyguards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, who shot her with their service guns in Prime Minister’s residence garden, allegedly for Operation Blue Star. Now today on her death anniversary, his grandson and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi paid tribute to her by saying that “My grandmother is my strength.”
“My strength, my grandmother! I will always protect the India for which you sacrificed everything. Your memories are always with me, in my heart,” said Rahul Gandhi in a social media post on X.
मेरी शक्ति, मेरी दादी!
जिस भारत के लिए आपने अपना सर्वस्व बलिदान कर दिया, उसकी हमेशा रक्षा करूंगा। आपकी यादें हमेशा साथ हैं, दिल में। pic.twitter.com/SmpmqM13bo
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 31, 2023
Indira Gandhi’s another grandson, who is now an MP from Congress’ arch rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Varun Gandhi, also gave tribute to her. Varun Gandhi called Indira Gandhi “Mother of the nation,” in a social media post on X.
“Hundreds of salutes to my grandmother, Late Indira Gandhi ji, who was a symbol of unmatched courage and struggle and the pioneer of democratic socialism, on her martyrdom day. Along with the determination to take tough decisions, you also had a very simple and gentle tenderness of motherhood. You are truly the ‘Mother of the Nation’,” said Varun Gandhi.
Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, remembering Indira Gandhi’s saying, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his gratitude. “As long as I will breathe, service will never go away and when I die, I can say that… every drop of blood that is mine, every drop of that blood will bring India alive ~ Shrimati Indira Gandhi,” said Kharge.
“जब तक मुझ में साँस है तब तक सेवा ही नहीं जायेगी और जब मेरी जान जायेगी तब मैं ये कह सकती हूँ कि…एक एक खून का क़तरा जितना मेरा है, वह एक-एक ख़ून का क़तरा …एक भारत को जीवित करेगा।”
~ श्रीमती इंदिरा गाँधी
सशक्त एवं प्रगतिशील भारत के निर्माण में अपनी दृढ़ इच्छाशक्ति, कुशल… pic.twitter.com/MffuTCd1pJ
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 31, 2023
Further, the Congress chief added: “Humble tribute to Indira Gandhi, India’s first woman Prime Minister and our icon, who played an important role in building a strong and progressive India with her strong will, efficient leadership, unique working style and foresight, on her martyrdom day.”
