Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and newly elected party president Mallikarjun Kharge paid floral tributes to India’s first prime minister – Jawaharlal Nehru – on his birth anniversary at the Shanti Van memorial in Delhi on Monday. “Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and CPP (Congress Parliamentary Party) chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi reached Shantivan and paid tribute to the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary. The nation is remembering Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji for his contribution to the development of India,” the party tweeted and shared pictures.
Tributes from across political lines poured in as leaders took to Twitter and recalled the former PM’s contributions. PM Narendra Modi said, “On his birth anniversary, tributes to our former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji. We also recall his contribution to our nation.”
In a separate tweet, the Congress also celebrated Nehru’s ‘endearing legacy as a social democrat’. “First PM of India, Pt. Nehru was a social democrat who coveted a welfare state. He was a humanist-secularist who sought national development on all fronts including agriculture & science. Today on his birth anniversary, we celebrate his endearing legacy.”
The party’s state units tweeted and paid tribute to a political leader fondly known as ‘chacha Nehru’ by children. “The youth will shape our society tomorrow. On Pandit Nehru’s birth anniversary, we pledge to tackle inequalities and give our children a promising future.”
Another former PM Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Deve Gowda remembered Nehru’s vision as an inspiration. Defence minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Tributes to Independent India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his Jayanti.”