Rajiv Gandhi remembered on death anniversary

New Delhi: The nation on Thursday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 18th death anniversary.

President Pratibha Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the departed leader's widow and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among the first to pay floral tributes to the late leader at 'Veer Bhumi', the memorial of Gandhi.

Children of Gandhis, Congress MP Rahul and Priyanka along with her husband Robert Vadra were also present at the remembrance ceremony at the memorial, which was decorated with hundreds of white lotuses on the occasion.

Besides, Defence Minister A K Antony, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and a number of newly elected MPs, leaders of UPA allies like NC's Farooq Abdullah and Kerala Congress chief K M Mani also paid floral tributes at the memorial.

The remembrance ceremony began with the entry of 18 children signifying the 18th year of martyrdom of Gandhi. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991 by a LTTE suicide bomber during a public meeting at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu.

One of the children offered a length of Red Khadi in remembrance of the sacrifice of the late leader while another placed a 'diya' on the samadhi.

People have been paying their respects at Rajiv Gandhi's memorial in Sriperumbudur. Security has been tightened in this town where Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a deadly suicide attack. Earlier, the Gandhi family had been advised not to visit the place as authorities feared a possible backlash from pro-Sri lankan Tamil activists. A security alert has been sounded in Tamil Nadu and coastal states such as Kerala and Andhra Pradesh after intelligence inputs suggested LTTE cadre could have slipped into the country and may try to create disturbance. —Sources

Anti Terrorism Day observed

New Delhi: Anti-terrorism day is being observed throughout the country on Thursday on the occasion of the 18th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv

Gandhi who had fallen to a terror attack.

The Day is to be observed to generate awareness in the country among all sections of people, about the danger of terrorism, violence and its evil effect on the people, society and the country as a whole.

The objective behind observance of the Day is to wean away the youth from the terrorist/violence cult by highlighting the suffering of the common people and showing how it is prejudicial to the national interest, a Home Ministry official said.

Voluntary organisations, social and cultural bodies are also conducting several programmes to highlight the ill effects of violence and terrorism.

Anti-terrorism and anti-violence pledge will also be taken in all government offices, public sector undertakings and other public institutions.

Rich tributes flow in

Rich tributes were today paid to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary with Congress workers thronging his memorial in Sriperumbudur, people taking anti-terrorism pledges and party supporters in Amethi reminiscing their association with him.

President Pratibha Patil, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the departed leader's widow and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among the first to pay floral tributes to the late leader at 'Veer Bhumi', the memorial of Gandhi here, on his 18th death anniversary.

The memorial was decorated with hundreds of white lotuses on the occasion.

By sheer coincidence, the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi comes three days after the elimination of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, who was responsible for his death.

At his memorial in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, where he was assassinated by an LTTE woman suicide bomber this day in 1991, Congress workers paid homage to him.

Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, who was among others who paid homage to the departed leader in Sriperumbudur, said Rajiv was an "investment" of the nation.

Speaking on the killing of the LTTE chief, he said the "LTTE chief robbed India of an investment. A national investment. It’s very difficult to get leaders like that. So, in a sense, it is vindication, reaffirmation in the memory of Rajiv Gandhi that he (Prabhakaran) has been killed just before his martyrdom day.”