Lucknow, May 21 (UNI) Emotional tributes were paid to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by Congress workers and leaders in Uttar Pradesh on his death anniversary on Wednesday.

UP Congress Committee president Ajay Rai paid floral tribute to the statue of the former PM at Kalidas Square in Lucknow.

Talking to the media, he said Rajiv Gandhi believed in youth power and worked to strengthen democracy by reducing the voting age from 21 to 18 years.

"He always wanted empowerment of the youth and emphasized education skills to create a social system based on the principles of equality, justice, fraternity and freedom. He was also serious about the need for cultural harmony to promote the spirit of brotherhood, tolerance and co-existence. This seriousness was visible in the education policy of his government," he said.

Rai said with a firm resolve to empower people at the grassroots level, Rajiv Gandhi promised to strengthen panchayati raj institutions in the 1991 Lok Sabha election manifesto. "It was later passed in 1992 by the 73rd amendment of the Constitution when the Congress government was formed," he said.

He said the contribution of Rajiv's foresight and leadership can never be forgotten. "He took India forward as a well-governed, powerful and vibrant nation. Rajiv Gandhi was a far-sighted politician, whose thoughts and concepts still hold global importance," he said.

A seminar was also organised at the State Congress Office at 11 am in the presence of Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari.

Speaking on the occasion Tiwari said, "I worked very closely with Rajiv Gandhi. With a personality that could mesmerise anyone, he was full of courage, confidence, style, intelligence, patience, dignity, decency. He was a person who took everyone along, became a symbol of change in the field of politics, economy and ethics in public life through cooperation and solutions, participation and understanding."

He said, "The former PM had unshakable faith in peace and worked hard to end agitations and rebellions for the restoration of peace and democracy in Punjab, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland and Kashmir. 'Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat' was his vision."

Tiwari said that Rajiv Gandhi had taken five successful steps in his short tenure from 84 to 89, which included telecom revolution, computer revolution, raising the voting age to 18 years, foundation of Panchayati Raj and establishment of Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country in the field of education, due to which this country moved forward on the path of progress.

UNI AB PRS