"While his physical body was tragically blown to smithereens by a terrorist, the suicide bomber could not blow away his legacy," he said in a statement on the occasion of the 21st death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
"Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free and Nonviolent World Order presented by him to the United Nations General Assembly on June 9, 1988 remains the only available plan of action on the subject of nuclear disarmament ever presented by a Head of Government to the UN," Aiyar said on Anti-Terrorism Day which is observed on Rajiv's death anniversary.
Aiyar said that there were three key elements of Rajiv's legacy -- Panchayati Raj, Cultural Centres established by him for the emotional integration of our diverse peoples by celebrating their respective cultures and the Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free and Nonviolent World Order.
On Panchayati Raj, Aiyar said, "Far more than guns, bullets and khaki uniforms, it is genuine Panchayat Raj based on the provisions of Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) that will free our tribal people from terrorism and restore to them the dignity, honour and way of life of which they have been deprived by unbridled, unthinking economic development pushed by outsiders to the forests of Dandakaranya". MORE
