Prime Minister Narendra Modi and politicians across all parties paid homage to India's first woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on what would have been her 105th birthday on Saturday.
Modi, who will commence his three-day campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, paid his tributes via a tweet.
Federal Minister Nitin Gadkari also showed his respect for the country’s first woman Prime Minister in a tweet.
BJP parliamentarian and grandson of Indira Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, also remembered her. In a tweet in Hindi, he said: “My tributes to the mother of the country and my beloved grandmother on her birth anniversary who didn’t only show leadership but also generosity; was not only strong but also a mother.”
BJP Parliamentaria Varun Gandhi paid Tributes to His Grandmother and India's First Woman Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
© Photo : Twitter/@varungandhi80
Sonia Gandhi, former Congress president and daughter-in-law of Indira Gandhi, left floral tributes at her memorial - Shakti Sthal (Place of Strength) - in Delhi. She was accompanied by present party chief Mapanna Mallikarjun Kharge.
Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge Paid Floral Tributes to India's Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
© Photo : Twitter/@sevadalMRZ
She also attended a special event in New Delhi entitled “Spirit of Unity” where the theme was "75 years of independence".
Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge Attended a Special Event in Delhi to Celebrate 105th Birth Anniversary of Indira Gandhi
© Photo : Twitter/@INCIndia
Apart from Sonia Gandhi and Kharge, other senior Congress party politicians also paid their homage to Indira Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unite India Campaign), also left a floral tribute to the former Prime Minister on during his march.
Rahul Gandhi Paid Tributes to Indira Gandhi During Bharat Jodo Yatra
© Photo : Twitter/@INCIndia
He also posted a video on his official Twitter account and prayed for her as Goddess Durga and Kali. His caption for the video was in Hindi and said: “She grew up in the freedom struggle, learnt from the great leaders of India, was her father's darling. She was Durga for the country and Kali for the enemies – fearless, Tejaswini, Priyadarshini.”
Earlier in the day, Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh told the media that to mark the 105th birthday of the former prime minister, “only female lawmakers, parliamentarians, party workers and members of local administrative bodies, will walk in the Bharat Jodo Yatra (Unite India Campaign) with Rahul Gandhi to show mahila shakti (women power)”.
Apart from this, politicians of other parties also paid homage to Indira Gandhi.
Indira Gandhi was elected as India's third prime minister in 1966. During her leadership, India went to war with Pakistan in support of the independence movement in East Pakistan, and the subsequent creation of Bangladesh. Gandhi’s tenure also saw a state of emergency from 1975 to 1977.