'Jewel': Congress pays tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru

New Delhi: Congress leaders on Saturday paid rich tributes to India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, with Rahul Gandhi describing him as a "jewel" and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge calling him the "principal architect" of modern India.

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Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi visited Shanti Van to pay homage at his memorial.

Several Congress leaders, including former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, were present at the spot.

Kharge and Sonia Gandhi later paid floral tributes at Nehru's portrait in the central hall of Samvidhan Sadan, the old Parliament building. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and other leaders were also present.

Nehru, born in Allahabad on November 14, 1889, was the country's first prime minister after independence. He died on May 27, 1964, in New Delhi.

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Paying homage to Nehru in a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "With humble reverence on the birth anniversary of the 'Jewel of Hind', India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru."

"Freedom was not his destination, but a milestone in the nation's new journey. Swaraj was not about power, but about every citizen's participation and responsibility for the country's future.

"India was a quest, an idea for him-diversity as its strength, democracy as its faith, and equality as its foundation. His dream of a modern, scientific, progressive, and confident India remains our inspiration today.

"And our efforts to build that India are the true tribute to him," Gandhi said.

Kharge, in a post on X, said Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the "principal architect" of modern India.

"He understood that a nation as diverse as ours could only be held together by Democracy; one that embraced different cultures, beliefs, political voices and aspirations.

"As we pay our solemn tributes to him at Shanti Van today, we must reaffirm our resolve to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, our democratic institutions and the values that bind us together," he said.

"That is Nehru's enduring legacy. And upholding it is our collective responsibility," Kharge said.

In another post in Hindi, Kharge shared an old video of Nehru and said, "...we pay tribute on the birth anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country's first Prime Minister, whose historic contributions laid the foundation for a strong, modern, democratic and progressive nation after India's independence.

"Amid the many challenges following independence, he gave India's social, political and economic development a new direction through his visionary thinking, strong leadership and unwavering resolve.

"He had a deep faith in democracy, equality, secularism and scientific thinking. He always dreamed of an India where every citizen would have equal opportunities without discrimination and all would move forward with a spirit of unity, brotherhood and national interest," he said.

Kharge said his special affection for children and his dedication to their education and bright future remind that the country's future lies in the hands of coming generations.

"Warm wishes to all children on Children's Day. Let us renew our resolve to ensure that every child has access to good education, equal opportunities and the right to fulfil their dreams.

"Nehru's ideas and ideals continue to guide us today," the Congress president said in his post.

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