Rajiv Gandhi quotes - page 2

Rajiv Gandhi was an Indian politician who served as the Prime Minister of India. As a member of the influential Nehru-Gandhi family, he played a significant role in modernizing the country and promoting technological advancement. He became one of the youngest leaders to hold the nation's highest office and left a lasting impact on India's political landscape. Here are 42 of his quotes:

When I was inspecting the guard of honor and as I walked past one person, I saw through the corner of my eye some movement. Then I saw a man reverse his rifle at me. I ducked down a little bit in a reflex action. By my ducking, he missed my head and the brunt of the blow came on my shoulder below the left ear.

Rajiv Gandhi

Political Independence was only the first step. Sending the British home was only the first step. The struggle still continues. In the last 40-42 years since the advent of Independence, there has been a lot of development, a lot of progress but much more still needs to be done.

Rajiv Gandhi

The world is changing much too fast for us to have a moribund system which is not flexible, which cannot evolve and develop with changes in our society, in our country, as they come about in the world.

Rajiv Gandhi

India missed the Industrial Revolution; it cannot afford to miss the Computer Revolution.

Rajiv Gandhi

...I had no love for politics. I treasured the privacy of my family life. My mother respected both these sentiments. Then my brother, Sanjay was killed in the prime of his life. It broke a mother's heart. It did not break a Prime Minister's will. Without even a day's break, she carried on her noble task single-minded in fulfilling her pledge to her people There is a loneliness that only a bereaved mother can know...she called to me in her loneliness. I went to her side. At her instance, I left my love for flying at her instance I joined her as a political aide. From her I learned my first political lessons. It was she who urged me to respond to the insistent demand from the constituency and the part to take my brother's place as Member of Parliament for Amethi. With her blessings I was made General Secretary of my party asking me to accept the challenge of stepping into her shoes. In accepting this challenge I fulfilled a national duty and a filial duty of a son to a mother.

Rajiv Gandhi

Within four or five hours of taking over the responsibility of the Congress President, Rajiv Gandhi announced the formation of the new Working Committee and the Parliamentary Board. It is proved by this that Rajiv Gandhi believed in taking quick decisions.

Rajiv Gandhi

The fight against communal forces must be fought unitedly. We are the heirs to Panditji's scientific outlook; and to Indiraji's struggle against the forces of destabilization – terrorists, separatists, and communalists. We cannot fail them. Communalism must not be used as a political tool. If I may read a sentence from the secret Will of Babar to his son, Humayun: It is incumbent on thee to wipe all religious prejudices of the tablet of thy heart.

Rajiv Gandhi

Thinking of this University [Ambedkar University] today, we are reminded of Mahatma Gandhi because if there was anyone who fought for the weak in India, the first one to raise his voice for Scheduled Castes, that was Gandhiji. There were social workers before him but not any people who raised this matter in the political arena as he did.

Rajiv Gandhi

The fight against communal forces must be fought unitedly. We are the heirs to [[Gandhi]ji's heritage of communal harmony; to Panditji's scientific outlook; and to Indiraji's struggle against the forces of destabilization – terrorists, separatists, and communalists. We cannot fail them. Communalism must not be used as a political tool. If I may read a sentence from the secret Will of Babar to his son, Humayun: It is incumbent on thee to wipe all religious prejudices of the tablet of thy heart.

Rajiv Gandhi

On 30 April 1981, the National Committee of the Indian National Youth Congress unanimously passed a resolution requesting Rajiv Gandhi to contest the elections.

Rajiv Gandhi

Son of the previous Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, and grandson of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi was the logical successor in India's "democratic dynasty” when his mother was assassinated in 1984.

Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi had limited qualities whereas the problems of the country were unlimited.

Rajiv Gandhi

On New Year's eve, Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Zail Singh – for the second time in two months – on 31 October 31 1984 fateful day of shock and grief he took over as Prime minister in a depressing atmosphere... But now the prize was his –in his own right earned in a national contest.

Rajiv Gandhi

He was campaigning for the Congress Party on the second day of voting in the world's largest democratic election when a powerful bomb, hidden in a basket of flowers, exploded killing him instantly. It later emerged that a female Tamil Tiger (LTTE) suicide bomber had assassinated Rajiv Gandhi. In 1987 Mr Gandhi, then Prime Minister, had sent Indian Peace Keeping Forces to Sri Lanka in a disastrous attempt to impose peace in the country. The move proved unpopular both at home and abroad and his troops pulled out in 1990.

Rajiv Gandhi

I don't appreciate this comparison at all. My father was a martyr. He sacrificed his life for the country. And in my heart he can never be compared to any other person.

Rajiv Gandhi