Jammu Congress headquarters renamed as Rajiv Bhawan
JAMMU, May 19 — The Congress party office at Shaheedi Chowk in Jammu was officially renamed as Rajiv Bhawan today. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President Tariq Hameed Karra inaugurated the renovated party headquarters and dedicated it to the memory of the former Prime Minister in the presence of senior party leaders from across the Jammu province, including former ministers, legislators, district presidents, and a large number of workers.
Karra unfurled the party flag at the entrance and unveiled the new name board amid national anthem recitals and slogans from the gathering.During the event, Karra read out a message from Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who expressed her appreciation for the decision to rename the renovated headquarters on the eve of the leader’s martyrdom day, which is observed on May 21.
Karra emphasized that the name change serves to inspire everyone visiting the office with a spirit of service and sacrifice for the nation. He announced that the party will dedicate the entire week to commemorating the martyrdom of the former Prime Minister, directing all district presidents to hold special remembrance programs across the region.
Speaking on the developmental contributions of the former leader, Karra recalled how his visionary policies focused heavily on preparing India’s youth for 21st-century challenges through advancements in technology and computer education. He credited these early IT initiatives for positioning the nation as a global leader in the sector, which continues to generate millions of employment opportunities today.
Karra also highlighted significant constitutional reforms from that era, such as lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years to empower younger voters in the political process.The Congress leader further discussed major structural reforms, including the introduction of the modern three-tier Panchayati Raj system through the 73rd and 74th Amendments.
He noted that these legislative changes secured 33 percent reservation for women and proportionate political representation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. This democratic decentralization, Karra noted, has enabled thousands of women and marginalized communities to successfully enter local governance across the country and the Union Territory.
Turning to internal organizational matters, Karra reported that the second phase of the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan is progressing successfully across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir. He commended the party observers, coordinators, and district presidents for traveling to every area to engage directly with grassroots workers.
He reiterated that Congress remains a democratic organization committed to inner-party dialogue and collective action to strengthen its base. The gathering was also addressed by other prominent leaders, including Working President Raman Bhalla, former MP Lal Singh, former Minister Mula Ram, and Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma.