- Saturday, March 01, 2025
India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who is also the longest serving till date, passed away on May 27, 1964, at the age of 75.
By: Shubham Ghosh
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (25) paid tributes to Jawaharlal Nehru, his predecessor and the country’s first prime minister, on the occasion of his 59th death anniversary.
Nehru, who is also India’s longest-serving prime minister and a leader of the Indian National Congress, died in office in 1964.
“On his death anniversary, I pay tributes to our former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,” Modi tweeted.
On his death anniversary, I pay tributes to our former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 27, 2023
Soon after, the social media was divided over the current prime minister paying a brief tribute to the first premier. While one section criticised Modi over it, his supporters found no wrong in it as they do not like the fact that Nehru became the first prime minister of India after Independence on August 15, 1947.
Here are some tweets that were posted in response to Modi’s one-line tribute to Nehru:
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) May 27, 2023
He’s the first Prime Minister of independent india, you can’t change that. pic.twitter.com/3WaGb9HTln
— Shweta@soni (@shweta31soni) May 27, 2023
— Nishant Nihar (@nishant_nihar) May 27, 2023
What a small man you are
For a country's First PM, you have only just 2 dry lines for him.
This just shows how envious you are for this Tall, Visionary Man. #RememberingNehru pic.twitter.com/VP1HVB2fs3— Harmeet Kaur K (@iamharmeetK) May 27, 2023
— rae (@ChillamChilli) May 27, 2023
The Congress on Saturday paid rich tributes to Nehru with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge saying 21st century India cannot be imagined without the contribution of India’s first PM.
Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi, the great-grandson of Nehru, also visited the former prime minister’s memorial at Shanti Van in New Delhi and paid floral tributes to him. Senior leaders KC Venugopal and Pawan Bansal were among those present at the memorial.
Several party leaders paid tributes on social media to the Congress stalwart.
Born in 1889, Nehru was the prime minister between August 1947 and May 1964.
“India of the 21st century cannot be imagined without the contribution of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,” Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.
A fearless soldier of democracy, his progressive ideas strongly propelled India’s social, political and economic development despite challenges, the Congress president said. “My humble tribute to ‘Hind ke Jawahar’,” he said.
The Congress, from its official Twitter handle, also paid tributes to Nehru.
“We remember Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, our first prime minister and ‘Architect of Modern India’ on his death anniversary. A visionary who led the nation to great heights through a plethora of economic policies and industrial establishments,” the party said.
“From the ‘Temples of Modern India’ including IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, DRDO and India’s industrial marvels to India’s forays into nuclear and space research, it was under him that India’s prowess amplified to an unprecedented magnitude. Today, we cherish the legacy of Pandit ji, who brought India to the world stage as a leading, global power,” the Congress said.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s legacy stands tall, like a beacon, illuminating the idea of India and the values he dedicated his life for – Freedom, Democracy, Secularism & Modernity. His vision and values always guide our conscience and actions.”
(With PTI inputs)
