President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice-President Hamid Ansari stayed away from a meeting in memory of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary on Thursday, apparently against the backdrop of the Modi government’s decision that such functions will be non-government affairs.
Both leaders had visited Vir Bhumi, the memorial to the late leader, in previous years.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, accompanied by son and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi and son-in-law Robert Vadra, offered flowers at the memorial.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was among those who paid tributes.
Explaining the President’s absence, Rashtrapati Bhavan sources said the Congress was following the government’s decision that such functions should be either a family or party affair. The Congress sources said the party had requested the President and the Vice-President to attend only the Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary function on August 20.