Congress lauds Narasimha Rao as 'pride of the party'

Describing former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao as a dedicated Congress leader, All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the grand old party takes pride in his accomplishments and contribution, even as another former PM Manmohan Singh praised him as a "great son" of this country.

"Shri P V Narasimha Rao's tenure was also marked by a number of political, social and foreign policy achievements that have endured. Above all he was a dedicated Congressman who served the party devotedly in various capacities," she said in a message read out by Telangana Congress President Uttam Kumar Reddy.

The Telangana Congress began its year long birth centenary celebrations of Rao on July 24 commemorating the day when the first budget claimed to be the first attempt towards economic reforms in the country was presented by his government in 1991.

"Shri P V Narasimha Rao was a very respected national and international figure. The Congress party takes pride in his many accomplishments and contributions. The birth centenary of Rao is an occasion to recall and
pay tribute to a most scholarly and erudite personality who after a long career in state and national politics, the prime minister of the country at a time of grave economic crisis", Sonia Gandhi added.

She noted that the Union budget of July 24 1991, paved the way for the economic transformation of our country.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee, in his recorded address, said Rao was known for his path breaking ability to do something which sometimes appeared to be impossible to do.

When he was chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (undivided), he introduced massive land reforms in this state, which was an act of "courage of conviction," Mukherjee said.

"P V Narasimha Rao became Indian prime minister at a crucial time. Not only in the economy, but the situation was such that Indias foreign exchange reserves plummeted to just USD one billion, which was well enough to support two weeks' imports," he said.

Rao was the second prime minister in this country to introduce radical reforms in Indian economy to unleash the potentiality of growth, he added.

Mukherjee said Narasimha Rao had the capacity to recognise the need of having peaceful coexistence with China, which has a long border stretching from the Northeast to Ladakh.

"To engage peace and tranquility in the border area was first mooted by him. And thereafter it was implemented by successive Prime Ministers," the former president said.

Manmohan Singh in his address said the former PM can truly be called the father of economic reforms in India.

"Economic reforms and liberalization were indeed his (Rao's) biggest contributions. His contributions to the country in several different fields cannot be underestimated. On the foreign affairs front, he made efforts to improve
our relationship with our neighbours including China," Singh said.

Recalling his association with Narasimha Rao, Dr Singh said the budget he presented under Rao's leadership in 1991 had changed the country in many ways in terms of economic reforms and liberalisation.

Lauding Rao's political acumen, the former prime minister said though it was hard to take decisions to meet the challenging situations for a minority government, then PM Narasimha Rao was able to carry everyone along, convincing them with his convictions.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his message, said Rao had a remarkable political journey which would reflect his grit and determination.

Former Union ministers P Chidambaram and Jairam Ramesh also recalled their association with Narasimha Rao.