Rajiv Gandhi Quotes (32 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

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Famous Rajiv Gandhi Quotes

“A responsive administration is tested most at the point of interface between the administration and the people.”

Rajiv Gandhi

in February 1988, p. 28
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on 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

In Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi (2009) http://books.google.co.in/books?id=L5bTCgLM1lYC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false, Quote 37
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“Instead of understanding the crisis facing the country and helping the country, the opposition wants to weaken the country by its deeds.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In his address to the party workers on 12 November 1984 to spoil the machinations of terrorist, when he was elected to the post of the President of the Congress Party, Meena Agrawal in “Rajiv Gandhi”, P.74
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“A right value system must be built into our education system. We must be very clear that religion and politics must be separated and there must be a very clear definition of the difference between spirituality of the religion and its rituals and dogmas. We must be clear that secularism as we understand it is not only anti-religion or non-religion; it is only the separation of government from religion. Religion has a great role to play in the development process of our nation and we should do nothing to undermine it.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In P. 29
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi

“The late Indira Gandhi always used to warn about the dangers that the country was facing. She used to keep saying that the country was going through a very dangerous time. This danger is now many times more than what it was at that time. We should all be cautious now.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In his address to the party workers on 12 November 1984 to spoil the machinations of terrorist, when he was elected to the post of the President of the Congress party. Quoted by Meena Agrawal in “Rajiv Gandhi” P.74
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“Better a brain drain than a brain in the drain.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Quoted in: Kishore Mahbubani, The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East https://books.google.nl/books?id=3bNEcyRxk3oC&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=charles+leadbeater++%22from+west+to+east%22&source=bl&ots=5P_cDPHVZF&sig=GfkXHeh-xNDhko5-h2NqD67zP5E&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjF_afS-qzLAhXHzxQKHUcKBEoQ6AEIKDAB#v=onepage&q=brain%20drain&f=false, 2010, p. 70, and in: Mark L. Clifford, Janet Pau, Through the Eyes of Tiger Cubs: Views of Asia's Next Generation https://books.google.nl/books?id=UBSTDQ2P4G4C&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=%22+a+brain+drain+than+a+%22+gandhi&source=bl&ots=HFx1eY6xca&sig=N_OpfnYt0sTRH02YvHx_z-T3HM8&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwji-en0ka7LAhUEaxQKHWf8D_gQ6AEIJDAC#v=onepage&q=%22%20a%20brain%20drain%20than%20a%20%22%20gandhi&f=false, 2012 p. 29
When asked in an interview (date unknown) whether he did not regret the fact that so many intelligent Indians left their home country to go studying in the US.
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Rajiv Gandhi Quotes about homeland

“If farmers become weak the country looses self-reliance but if they are strong, freedom also becomes strong. If we do not maintain our progress in agriculture, poverty cannot be eliminated from India.
But our biggest poverty alleviation programme is to improve the living standard of our farmers.
The thrust of our poverty alleviation programmes is on the uplift of the farmers.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Inagural Speech at the 25th National Convention of the Bharat Krishak Samaj, Hyderabad, 15 February 1988. Transcript at [Selected Speeches and Writings: 1 January 1988-31 December 1988, 1989, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 180

Source: Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhid in Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi, 2009, Concept Publishing Company, 978-81-8069-587-2, 25, https://books.google.com/books?id=L5bTCgLM1lYC&pg=PT25

“Every person should take a lesson from history. We should understand that wherever there have been internal fights and conflicts in the country, the country has been weakened. Due to this, the danger from outside increases. The country has to pay a big price due to this type of weakness.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In his address to the party workers on 12 November 1984 to spoil the machinations of terrorist, when he was elected to the post of the President of the Congress party, quoted by Meena Agrawal in “Rajiv Gandhi” P.74
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“Thereby, we have weakened ourselves and fallen prey to the ills that the loss of invigorating mass contact brings. Millions of ordinary Congress workers throughout the country are full of enthusiasm for the Congress policies and programmes. But they are handicapped, for on their backs ride the brokers of power and influence, who dispense patronage to convert a mass movement into a feudal oligarchy.. They are self-perpetuating cliques who thrive by involving the slogans of caste and religion and by enmeshing the living body of the congress in their net of avarice.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In his address to the Congress Centenary Session in December 1985 at Bombay, in India Since Independence: Making Sense of Indian Politics http://books.google.co.in/books?id=X62Sc3muOyQC&pg=PA291, p. 291
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“Our plan cannot be hard and dogmatic. They must change with the times and move with the development of our country. Every year brings new compulsions, new circumstances, and with each Plan these must be taken into consideration.”

Rajiv Gandhi

On the Seventh Five Year Plan in 1985, p. 35,
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on 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

In 1988, p. 24
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi

“The terrorists are busy in and outside the country in such activities which are a danger to the unity and integrity of the country.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In his address to the party works to spoil the machinations of terrorist, when he was elected to the post of the President of the Congress party, Meena Agrawal in “Rajiv Gandhi”, p. 73
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Rajiv Gandhi Quotes

“If my mother gets help from it, then I will enter politics.”

Rajiv Gandhi

On being pressured to join politics to help his mother, quoted by Meena Agrawal, in "Rajiv Gandhi", p. 22.
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Help

“It is compartmentalization of India into rigidly separated rural and urban settlements that has been the worst legacy of the colonial system of local-self government.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In 1989, in “Memorable Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhis from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi (2009)”, Quote 17
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“Development is not about factories, dams and roads. Development is about people.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi

People

“For nation-building, the first requisite is peace— peace with our neighbours and peace in the world. Our security environment has been vitiated.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Broadcast to the Nation, 12 November 1984
Extracts from Speeches

World , Peace

“Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony. No religion preaches hatred and intolerance. Vested interests, both external and internal, are inciting and exploiting communal passions and violence to divide India.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Broadcast to the Nation, 12 November 1984 note: Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony. No religion preaches hatred and intolerance. Vested interests, both external and internal, are inciting and exploiting communal passions and violence to divide India.
Source: en.wikiquote.org - Rajiv Gandhi / Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony. No religion preaches hatred and intolerance. Vested interests, both external and internal, are inciting and exploiting communal passions and violence to divide India.

Communication , Religion , Passion , Effort

“India is an old country, but a young nation; and like the young everywhere we are impatient. I am young, and I too have a dream. I dream of an India strong, independent and self-reliant and in the front rank of the nations of the world in the service of mankind.”

Rajiv Gandhi

On his vision of India, in his address to the Joint meeting of the US Congress in Washington on 13 June 1985, in Emotional Impact: Passionate Leaders and Corporate Transformation (8 November 2000) http://books.google.co.in/books?id=G2QJfyzGRSIC&pg=PA97, p. 97
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World , Dreams , Strong , Country

“The second point which must be part of the national goal, is caste less society. The constitution very clearly differentiates between Schedule Castes and Backward Classes. Why did out our Constitution makers make this distinction? They had something in their mind. Why have we lost that distinction today? I agree with you that reality is that caste accounts for a tremendous amount in this country. I do not disagree with that. But what is our goal? Is our goal a castless society? If out goal, is a casteless society, surely every step that we take must be towards that objective.”

Rajiv Gandhi

In Parliamemt in 1992, p. 31
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi

Reality , Parting , Country

“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

In “Memorable Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhis from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi (2009)” , Quote 41
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Secret , Communication , Reading , Heart

“When a big tree falls, the earth shakes.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi, commenting on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the murder of Indira Gandhi, quoted in Hindustan Times
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Source: 1984 anti-Sikh riots 'wrong', says Rahul Gandhi, Hindustan Times, 18 November 2008, 5 May 2012, yes, https://web.archive.org/web/20131012025532/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/India/Article1-352523.aspx, 12 October 2013 http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/India/Article1-352523.aspx,

Tree

“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

In Sri Lankan in Honor Guard Attacks Gandhi (30 July 1987) http://articles.latimes.com/1987-07-30/news/mn-453_1_sri-lankan
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Past , Personality

“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

Speech in Hindi while addressing a tribal rally at Nandurbar, Pune, 31 March 1989 — Selected Speeches and Writings of Rajiv Gandhi, Vol.V, 1989, p.7 note: Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony. No religion preaches hatred and intolerance. Vested interests, both external and internal, are inciting and exploiting communal passions and violence to divide India.

Source: en.wikiquote.org - Rajiv Gandhi / Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony. No religion preaches hatred and intolerance. Vested interests, both external and internal, are inciting and exploiting communal passions and violence to divide India.

Home

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

Rajiv Gandhi

In p. 32
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi

“Rajiv Gandhi was not a great Prime Minister by any yardstick. He had his high points and his low points. He did try hard in some ways, but history will judge him not as a man who left behind a great legacy, but as someone who squandered the greatest opportunity India provided to any Prime Minister in living memory to take the country to new heights. He left the country in chaos and in self-doubt, and the economy in the dust.”

Rajiv Gandhi

R Jagannathan, in "Dear Priyanka, your Dad Rajiv was no angel. He let India down (2 May 2014)"

History , Country , Self-confidence , Memory

“As far as that event is concerned, I would say it is a great tragedy, a monumental historical tragedy for which we deeply regret. We call upon the Government of India and the people of India to be magnanimous, to put the past behind and to approach the ethnic question in a different perspective.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Balasingham, in Tamil Tiger 'regret' over Gandhi (27 June 2006) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5122032.stm

Past , People , Question

“As Rajiv Gandhi was going past me, I got a thought in my head. I thought of how India was helping the terrorists with money, arms and military training. As these thoughts came into my head, when Gandhi was about two or three feet away from me. Yes, I felt an emotion. I despised the Indian Prime Minister. I aimed a blow with my rifle at Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi�s back, below the shoulder.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Wijemuni Vijitha Rohana, the person who attacked Rajiv Gandhi Colombo, in Rohana: Courage of his convictions (29 July 2007) http://www.nation.lk/2007/07/29/special5.htmVijitha
In Rohana: Courage of his convictions http://www.nation.lk/2007/07/29/special5.htmVijitha

Money , Past , Help , Training

“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

In Meena Agrawal, in “Rajiv Gandhi”, p. 76

Decision

“Since his childhood he was of a gentle and peaceful nature.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Meena Agrawal, in "Rajiv Gandhi", p. 17

Childhood , Peace , Nature

“Rajeev used to play with Gandhiji in the same way in which his mother, Indira used to play with Gandhiji in Sabaramati ashram when she was four years old. One day, Rajeev plucked some flowers and kept them at Gandhiji’s feet. Gandhiji laughed and said – Rajeev! Don’t you know that flowers are not kept at the feet of a person who is alive?”

Rajiv Gandhi

Meena Agrawal, in p. 14. This incident happened on 29 January 1948 and on 30 January 1948, Gandhiji was assassinated.

Way , Personality , Flowers

“We must see that regional imbalances in the growth of various parties of the country are removed and all the states progress evenly. We shall ensure that all citizens of the country get full opportunity to contribute their might towards India’s progress.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Independence Day speech on 15 August 1985, in p. 30
Quote, Memorable Quotes from Rajiv Gandhi and on Rajiv Gandhi

Country

“Our party is for the building of the temple to Lord Ram, and we should, if possible, work towards an amicable settlement which, while upholding the principles of secularism, enables the construction of the temple to start, with the approval and support of all concerned. ... The key issue appears to be whether or not there was a temple erected to Lord Ram at the site where the Babri Masjid stands today. This question of historical fact would appear to hold the key to a resolution of the problem to the satisfaction of all reasonable, secular-minded persons of all communities.”

Rajiv Gandhi

Rajiv Gandhi 1990, [cit. Indian Express, 2 Dec. 1990, repr. Aggarwal & Chowdhry 1991:123]. Quoted from Elst, Koenraad (2012). The argumentative Hindu. New Delhi : Aditya Prakashan. Chapter: Ayodhya’s three history debates.
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Question , Support , Personality , Communication