Congress leaders extend greetings on Panchayati Raj Day

New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi congratulated people on National Panchayati Raj Day, and said the party is fulfilling the dream of Gram Swaraj of Mahatma Gandhi.

The party noted that 30 years ago the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi brought in the 73rd amendment that gave Constitutional status to panchayats.

“Best wishes to all on Panchayati Raj Day. Panchayat Raj institutions are the pillars of Indian democratic system and play an unprecedented role in the progress of the nation,” party president Kharge said.

“The dream of Gram Swarajya that Mahatma Gandhi saw was fulfilled by the Congress party by strengthening panchayats,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

While extending wishes to all heads, panches, and members of local bodies on National Panchayati Raj Day, Gandhi said, “Together we all have to strengthen Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swrajya and this initiative of Rajiv Gandhi”.

AICC general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh said, “Today 30 years ago the 73rd Amendment that gave Constitutional status to panchayats with 1/3 reservation for women came into effect”.

“This was entirely due to the efforts of Rajiv Gandhi. Today there are almost 32 lakh such elected representatives of whom about 15 lakh are women,” he said on Twitter.