Former PCC president V Hanumantha Rao recalled the contributions of the country’s first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary here on Monday.

Rao paid rich tributes to the statue of Nehru at Abids along with senior party leaders M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, G. Niranjan and party workers.

Speaking to media persons later he described Nehru as the leader of the ‘non-aligned’ movement. He recalled how he set an example with India’s independent foreign policy.


However, he lamented that the present day government at the Centre has failed to officially celebrate the day and described this as a conspiracy to belittle the legacy of such an illustrious personality.

Meanwhile, Ponnala Lakshmaiah and other party leaders also paid tributes to Nehru’s portrait. Lakshmaiah said that modern India was built on the foundation laid by Nehru, who not only played a major role in the freedom struggle but also transformed the nation with a set of reforms. “Coming up with a five-year plan he set a clear path for development, besides running the government with a humane spirit. Drawing inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, he threw emphasis on non-violence and tolerance while prioritising progress of the nation. His presence not only gave impetus to establishing industries, but also gave momentum for construction of irrigation projects," he said.