In a poignant moment at the Women’s Rights Conference organized by the DMK, Priyanka Gandhi, Congress General Secretary, and daughter of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, emotionally reflected on her first visit to Tamil Nadu over 30 years ago. She recounted the tragic night when, as a 19-year-old, she arrived in Tamil Nadu to receive her father’s mortal remains after his assassination during an election rally in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.
Addressing the conference and advocating for the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill, Priyanka shared her memories of that fateful night. With a choked voice, she described the profound sorrow of losing her father and the heartbreak of delivering the news to her mother.
“As the door of the plane opened, the night grabbed us and drew us in, but I was not afraid of it because the worst thing I could have imagined had already happened,” Priyanka expressed. She recalled the supportive embrace of women dressed in blue saris at Meenambakam airport, forming an unexplainable bond that remains etched in her heart.
In a message to the women of Tamil Nadu, Priyanka said, “You are my mothers, you are my sisters, and I am honored to be here today, to have the opportunity to speak to you about us: the women of India.” She emphasized the collective strength of women in shaping the proud and beautiful nation, urging for continued empowerment and unity.
