Congress Leaders Honor Rajiv Gandhi at Annual Hyderabad Peace Meeting

Congress leaders gathered at Charminar in Hyderabad on October 19, 2026, to pay tribute to late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and remember his message of communal harmony.

The Gathering

The annual meeting has taken place every year since 1990 to mark Rajiv Gandhi's historic Sadbhavana Yatra message. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud chaired the event. Several other party figures attended, including AICC secretary Sachin Sawant and AICC leader Gidugu Rudra Raju.

Speeches and Accolades

During the event, Mr. Goud criticized attempts to erase national leaders from public memory and credited Rajiv Gandhi with lowering the voting age to 18 while helping introduce modern technology to India. Mr. Reddy pointed to a silent revolution sweeping the country under Rahul Gandhi's leadership. Mr. Sawant highlighted Rajiv Gandhi's work in strengthening local self-government, expanding women's participation, and restoring peace in Punjab, Assam, and Mizoram. Dr. C. Mallikarjuna, founder and chief consultant urologist at the Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology, also received an award at the function for his service to society.

Context

Annual commemorative events allow political parties to highlight their historical figures and reinforce core ideological messages to the public. Such gatherings often serve as platforms to rally party cadres and critique political rivals on current national issues.