Cong leaders, Modi pay tributes to Rajiv Gandhi on 28th death anniversary

Earlier this month the prime minister had termed Rajiv Gandhi 'brastachari no 1' sparking a row

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was remembered on his 28th death anniversary on Tuesday with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and ex-president Pranab Mukherjee among those who paid homage at his memorial Veer Bhoomi.

Across the country, Congress offices held programmes in memory of the late prime minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Tributes to former PM Shri Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary."

Rajiv Gandhi's son Rahul Gandhi, wife Sonia Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and son-in-law Robert Vadra along with senior Congress leaders paid floral tributes at his memorial.

In an emotional message, Rahul Gandhi said his father was a gentle person who taught him to forgive and never hate.

"My father was gentle, loving, kind & affectionate. He taught me to love & respect all beings. To never hate. To forgive. I miss him. On his death anniversary, I remember my father with love & gratitude," he tweeted.

Priyanka Gandhi also took to Twitter to pay tributes to her father. She posted late Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poem 'Agnipath' and said, "You will always be my hero."

This comes after Modi dubbed Rajiv Gandhi "bhrashtachari no 1" (corrupt no 1) at an election rally earlier this month, sparking a row.

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal, Modi had said, "Your father was termed 'Mr. Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari no 1'."

Leaders of other parties including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee also paid tributes to the former prime minister.

Rajiv Gandhi took over the Congress' reins following the assassination of his mother and the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in October 1984. The same year, he became India's youngest prime minister at the age of 40.

He was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber at an election rally in Tamil Nadu's Sriperumbudur town on this day in 1991.