CM Revanth Reddy Presents Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award to Salman Khurshid

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra Commemoration Ceremony held at Charminar and recalled the efforts of the former Prime Minister towards maintaining national integrity and social harmony.

The event was attended by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud, who unfurled the party flag, along with ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Uttam Kumar Reddy, former MP V. Hanumantha Rao and government advisor Mohd. Ali Shabbir, senior Congress leaders Chinna Reddy and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid.

During the programme, Prime Minister Revanth Reddy presented the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award’ to former Union Minister Salman Khurshid for his contribution in promoting harmony and national unity.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that Rajiv Gandhi undertook the Sadbhavana Yatra to maintain the unity and integrity of the nation and the program was organized to sustain his spirit and ideals. “I congratulate the organizers for honoring Salman Khurshid with the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award,” he added.

Mr. Revanth praised the historic sacrifices made by the Gandhi family for the nation and said: “The word Gandhi has become synonymous with India. The Iron Lady Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life for the integrity of the nation and Rajiv Gandhi followed her path. Three generations of the Gandhi family gave their lives for the country.”

He also said that Salman Khurshid’s relationship with the Gandhi family spans three generations and his family has been working with the Congress leadership for decades. “It is a matter of pride for all of us that Salman Khurshid received the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award,” he said.

Emphasizing the contributions of Rajiv Gandhi, the Prime Minister reminded that he empowered young people by lowering the voting age to 18 and emphasized the necessity of a constitutional amendment that will allow 21-year-old young people to compete in legislative assemblies.

Drawing a parallel, Mr. Revanth stated that Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was inspired by the same ideals of unity and peace advocated by Rajiv Gandhi.

Turning to state politics, the Chief Minister accused the BRS of acting like the “B Team” of the BJP and claimed that the two parties had reached a secret agreement during the last parliamentary elections and 21 per cent of the BRS votes indirectly benefited the BJP. He also claimed that both parties were planning similar strategies to split opposition votes in the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election.

Calling for unity to preserve the democratic spirit of the State, Mr. Revanth said, “The people of Telangana must recognize and reject these conspiracies.”