Remembering Rajiv, Sonia tells party to stick to principles

She made the statememt while addressing party workers at a programme to commemorate the 25th death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi

Seeking to lift the party's morale after the electoral debacle, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today asserted that “no failure is permanent”.

“A success achieved by discarding basic principles does not stay for long. If one sticks to principles, no failure is permanent,” she said addressing party workers at a programme to commemorate the 25th death anniversary of her husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Congress is reeling from defeat in the just concluded Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

Pitching for social harmony, the Congress President said, “We have to compensate for each drop of Rajiv's blood on Indian soil by promoting and strengthening social harmony”.

“We will have to follow his values of simplicity, modernity, harmony and sensitivity. That will be our true homage to him. Only then we will be able to say that Rajiv is in us.”

Lauding the late Prime Minister for his contributions in giving the youths the right to franchise, devolution of powers to Panchayats and bringing in a revolution in telecom and communication, the Congress President said that he ensured participation of the young people and the deprived sections of society in the country's development process.

“India is walking with its head held high in the world due to the steps taken by him,” she said.

Gandhi said that it was Rajiv Gandhi who had started the change that led to the gains that are visible in society, economy and politics, “which we talk about loudly today”.

“It was he who took the revolutionary step of bringing prosperity in the life of the poor through science and technology. It was he who took strong steps to bring peace in Assam, Mizoram and Darjeeling. Rajiv ji wanted to see India at the forefront of the world order,” the Congress President said.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, who was not keeping well for some days, and former prime minister Manmohan Singh were conspicuous by their absence at the event, which was organised by the Youth Congress. Some former ministers like P Chidambaram and A K Antony were also not present.

The event was attended by senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Digvijaya Singh, Janardan Dwivedi, Ajit Jogi among others.