Madras Café recreates the history by touching upon Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination

John Abraham is very much happy to produce Madras Café in which he is playing an Intelligence officer. The film depicts the political scenario in early 1990s in the state of Tamil Nadu thus, during the time when then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. A character who looks like Rajiv Gandhi present in the film showcasing the brutal murder of then Indian Prime Minister has caused for some debates in the film world and politics.

The film is set in the early 1990s, around the time of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. It was insinuated that the LTTE had a hand in the slaying of the Indian Prime Minister on May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu and the film is based against this backdrop. What has really become the talking point is the likeness of the actor who plays Rajiv Gandhi in the film. One can clearly see the resemblance the actor bears to the political leader.  In waiving the crowd, the dress with a tri-colour shawl around the neck, the type of watch worn – all have got tremendous similarity with Rajiv Gandhi. Further the character who plays the main villain character is almost look like V Prabhakaran – the killed LTTE chief. 

LTTE has been under scanner behind the killing of Rajiv Gandhi. Madras Café recreates the history by touching upon Rajiv Gandhi’s subject. John said, “Madras Café is a revision for those who know what had happened, through our eyes but most importantly, it is for our youth who is unaware of the Indian politics of early 90s. This film aims at enlightening their knowledge in an entertaining way.” “Though I am apolitical, I've been there and seen it all. The story of the assassination (of Rajiv Gandhi) stayed with me. When Shoojit (director) offered Madras Cafe to me 7 years ago I said, 'Wow! Someone actually wants to do this. So let's do it” he added.

"Moving to see "Madras Cafe" on Rajiv Gandhi's birthday. Strong second half, fast-paced film. Outstanding direction & acting, especially by John Abraham” said Union Minister Shashi Tharoor.

Sircar, the director of the movie said: "This is not a biopic on Rajiv Gandhi this is not a story based on him. Yes, you can say that there is a similarity to that incident. There is a similarity in the facial structure (of the actor who plays the said role)." However, the director clarified, "We have taken that incident which we read in the paper. Rest, whatever is around it, has been fictionalised in the scripting. But somewhere you may find some historical references in the fictionalised bit too”.

Madras Café also stars Nargis Fakhri in the lead role as an International journalist. The film directed by Shoojit Sircar is released on Friday, August 23.

Sonia Gandhi launches Food Security Scheme in Delhi on Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary

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New Delhi: Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi launched the Central government’s historic Food Security Scheme in New Delhi on Tuesday. The launch of the programme coincides with the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. While addressing a huge gathering at Delhi’s Talkatora Indoor stadium, the Congress President assured that UPA Government would ensure that the right people get the benefits and that there are no flaws in the distribution process

Nation remembers Rajiv Gandhi on 69th birth anniversary

New Delhi: India on Tuesday remembered former Prime Minister and legendary Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi on his 69th birth anniversary. President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rajiv Gandhi’s wife and Congress President Sonia Gandhi paid floral tributes to the departed leader.

Apart from Sonia Gandhi, her son and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and Priyanka Gandhi’s daughter Sonia Gandhi's grand daughter Miraya also laid flowers at the samadhi.

Devotional music played throughout the programme. Scores of National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of Congress, members were also present on the occasion. A group of Congress workers, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, who were part of the Sadbhavna Yatra to spread the message of national harmony and integration against terrorism, were also present at Vir Bhumi.

Rajiv Gandhi, who heralded the information and communication technology revolution in the country, was born on August 20, 1944 and served as the sixth Prime Minister of India from 1984-1989. He was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu while addressing an election campaign.

Nation remembers the visionary Rajiv Gandhi on his 69th birth anniversary

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Today is the 69th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi. The nation paid its tribute to the great visionary with a series of programmes planned throughout the nation to commemorate the day. Early morning ,Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with her son and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra reached Veer bhoomi , the memorial of Late Rajiv Gandhi and paid their tributes. Several other leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were also present at Veer bhoomi to remember Rajiv Gandhi and pay their tributes.

Remembering great visionary Rajiv Gandhi on his 69th birth anniversary

Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister and a legendary Congress leader who is known as the creator of ‘modern India’, was one of the most visionary leaders of post-independence India. His insights and initiatives into liberalization of Indian economy, technological advancement and most importantly bringing the computer revolution in India, made him a futuristic leader of his times.  India went through a lot of changes under Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership.

Rajiv Gandhi’s personality and leadership brought in a high level of dynamism in India’s foreign relations. He also left his own personal mark on India’s foreign policy. Rajiv Gandhi was a humble and polite leader as well as an extremely ambitious and dynamic Prime Minister. His mature and effective leadership and initiative led India to become one of the leading markets in telecommunication and Information technology.

Rajiv Gandhi created a separate identity for himself and he also was successful in taking forward Indira Gandhi and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru’s initiatives as well.  He scripted a new vision for the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) - Nuclear disarmament.  He was a great believer of peace and this belief propelled him to propose the idea of disarmament.  He championed the cause of NAM, which he saw as a very important pedestal to facilitating peaceful relations between nations. He realized the futility of spending millions on arms and ammunition, and the wild pursuit of arms race, when a huge section of the population was starving.
Rajiv Gandhi played a vital role to improve the bilateral relationships with the United States of America and subsequently expanded the economic and scientific cooperation with it. A revived foreign policy, emphasizing on the economic liberalization and information and technology helped India to find a mark in the global map.

Under his tenure as the Prime Minister, India also took up the cause of fighting against apartheid in South Africa. India’s role is considered instrumental in establishing the South Africa Fund under the cause of Non-Alignment Movement and thus provided support for many South African countries in their struggle for independence through this fund. Rajiv Gandhi’s farsighted initiative also resulted into formation of G15 countries for promotion of the non-alignment movement further enhancing and encouraging South-South cooperation and facilitating a collective dialogue of the South countries with the industrialized nation-states.

Rajiv Gandhi was instrumental in modernizing the Indian armed forces. India developed missiles like Prithvi, Trishul, Agni, etc. during his leadership. The defense spending was one fifth of the total government expenditure. He helped India enhance her image and stature in world politics. India’s standing in the world had improved a great deal the only unresolved issue was that of SriLanka for which he lost his life.

Rajiv Gandhi government took vigorous measures to reform the government bureaucracy and liberalize the country's economy. He is credited with promoting the introduction of computers in India. The economic policies adopted by Rajiv Gandhi were different from his precursors. His government’s measures to reduce the "Red Tapism" were remarkable. In 1986, Rajiv Gandhi announced a "national education policy" to modernize and expand higher education programs across India. Rajiv Gandhi brought a revolution in the field of information technology and telecom. The idea helped in originating the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, popularly known as MTNL. He was the man to transcend telecom services to the rural India or "India in true sense". Rajiv Gandhi introduced India to modern science and technology, which he considered as the very essence of development. He said, 'Freedom and racism cannot co-exist. Science and poverty cannot co-exist.'

Rajiv Gandhi laid great emphasis on the green revolution which he looked upon as being extremely important for agricultural development. He spoke ardently about social justice. For him, equality among people was extremely important, because a society ridden with class and caste distinction was a hindrance to development.

Rajiv Gandhi was posthumously awarded the Highest National Award of India, Bharat Ratna 1991.

Rajiv Gandhi remembered on his 69th birth anniversary

Today is the 69th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi. The nation paid its tribute to the great visionary with a series of programmes planned throughout the nation to commemorate the day. Early morning ,Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with her son and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Robert Vadra reached Veer bhoomi , the memorial of Late Rajiv Gandhi and paid their tributes. Several other leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were also present at Veer bhoomi to remember Rajiv Gandhi and pay their tributes.

Remembering legendary Rajiv Gandhi on his 69th birth anniversary

August 20 is the birth anniversary of Sh. Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister and a legendary Congress leader who is known as the creator of 'modern India'. He was one of the most visionary leaders of post-independence India. His insights and initiatives into liberalization of Indian economy, technological advancement and most importantly bringing the computer revolution in India, made him a futuristic leader of his times. India went through a lot of changes under Rajiv Gandhi's leadership.

Remembering Rajiv Gandhi on his 69th birth anniversary

August 20 is the birth anniversary of Sh. Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister and a legendary Congress leader who is known as the creator of 'modern India'. He was one of the most visionary leaders of post-independence India. His insights and initiatives into liberalization of Indian economy, technological advancement and most importantly bringing the computer revolution in India, made him a futuristic leader of his times. India went through a lot of changes under Rajiv Gandhi's leadership.

Priyanka Gandhi easily strikes chord with common people

Congress party is blessed with great mass leaders in party president Sonia Gandhi, vice President Rahul Gandhi and Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. All these leaders have a special ability to easily strike chord with the common people. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during her campaign in Raebareli, has proved that she has a great ability to easily win the hearts of the people.

Congress to follow Priyanka Gandhi's formula to form district, city committees

The innovative formula of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and sister of party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, tasted success in stemming the factionalism and strengthening the party base in Raebareli and Amethi and now the Congress party is replicating it in all the other districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Priyanka Gandhi had evolved the new strategy for formation of district and city committees and implemented it in Raebareli, the Lok Sabha constituency of her mother Sonia Gandhi, and later in Amethi, Rahul Gandhi's parliament constituency.

Under the system, the bio-data of the interested Congress workers are sought in a set format and then interviews are held. A party worker is selected to a committee, till block level, based on the information in the bio-data and the interview. Now, all of UP has been divided into four parts each headed by four AICC secretaries in charge of state —- Naseeb Singh, Prakash Joshi, Rana Goswami and Zubair Khan. They have already started holding interviews in districts to finalise the district and city committees.

During the Congress party's last re-organisation, district and city presidents were elected and given free hand to select the 35-member committee, comprising seven vice-presidents, 10 general secretaries, 16 secretaries and a registrar apart from the president.

Wth this system the party leadership is being able to meet majority of the active and prominent workers in the district and listen to their grievances as well. The interviews are being conducted at the district level in the presence of newly-appointed district and city presidents, concerned zonal presidents, co-ordinators and AICC secretary in-charge of the district. The names finalised are sent to state party president for approval. All zonal heads and AICC secretaries have been asked to finalise the district and city committees by August 25.

Charismatic Congress leaders -- Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi

Congress party is blessed with great mass leaders in party president Sonia Gandhi, vice President Rahul Gandhi and Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. All these leaders have a special ability to easily strike chord with the common people.

Priyanka Gandhi -- a natural mass leader

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and sister of party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, has a special ability to attract people's attention and love wherever she goes. This was evident when she campaigned in Raebareli, the constituency of Sonia Gandhi.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra -- energetic and charismatic Congress campaigner

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and sister of party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, has a special ability to attract people's attention and love wherever she goes. This was evident when she campaigned in Raebareli, the constituency of Sonia Gandhi.

Charismatic and energetic Congress leader - Priyanka Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the charismatic Congress campaigner is the daughter of party president Sonia Gandhi and sister of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. She has a special place in the hearts of the people, especially in Amethi and Raebareli, the parliament constituencies of her brother Rahul Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi respectively. Wherever she goes, people shower a lot of affection and love towards her. Priyanka Gandhi also shows the same feelings to the people, in return. It is the people who make a leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra always reminded people.