The Congress on Tuesday paid rich tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge hailing her for playing an important role in building a strong and progressive India.

Indira Gandhi, India's first and only woman prime minister, was assassinated by her bodyguards on this day in 1984.

Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to the ex-prime minister at her memorial 'Shakti Sthal' here.

In a post on X, Kharge posted a quote of Indira Gandhi to highlight her dedication to the country.

"Humble tributes to Indira Gandhi, India's first woman prime minister and our idol, who played an important role in building a strong and progressive India with her strong will, efficient leadership, unique working style and foresight, on her martyrdom day," Kharge said.

The Congress, in a post on X, said, "Heartfelt tributes to the country's first woman prime minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, an example of strength, determination and strong leadership, on her death anniversary."

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that today, "we mark the 39th anniversary of Indira Gandhi's martyrdom".

"On October 27, 1984, she fulfilled her long-cherished desire to see first-hand the chinar trees in Srinagar exploding into a spray of colours. She also visited her favourite Dachigam National Park and returned to Delhi on the night of October 28, 1984, when she wrote a foreword to a book by her ministerial colleague, Digvijay Sinh on environmental politics called ‘The Eco-Vote’," Ramesh said.

This was perhaps the last written record of her as prime minister, he said.

She then went to Odisha where on the evening of Oct 30, 1984, she made her hauntingly famous speech, Ramesh said, adding, that the next morning she was "hurled into eternity".

Several Congress leaders paid rich tributes to Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.

Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, former vice president Hamid Ansari, among others, also paid floral tributes to Indira Gandhi at her 1, Safdarjung Road residence, which has been turned into a memorial.

"Today, we solemnly remember and pay our humble tribute to Indira Gandhi ji, whose exemplary leadership and dedicated service towards the empowerment of the marginalised is a source of eternal inspiration for the nation," Kharge said in a post on his WhatsApp channel.

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