Tributes pour in for Mahatma Gandhi on his 152nd birth anniversary

New Delhi: Several political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his 152nd birth anniversary on Saturday, while a 1,000 kg handwoven khadi tricolour, the largest in the country, was unfurled in Ladakh to mark the occasion.

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu urged people to participate in the Swachh Bharat campaign and make cleanliness a part of their lives.

“My respectful tributes to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi ji on his birth anniversary today. Universally revered as an apostle of peace and non-violence Gandhiji was an embodiment of selfless service, kindness and compassion,” the Vice President Secretariat tweeted quoting Naidu.

The prime minister paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi and said his life and ideas will inspire every generation to walk the path of their duties.

“I bow to respected Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. His noble principles are globally relevant and give strength to millions,” he added.

Modi visited Raj Ghat to pay floral tributes and an interfaith prayer meeting was held there as Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite devotional songs were rendered.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former party chief Rahul Gandhi also visited the memorial and paid homage to the Father of the Nation.

In a tweet in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and posted the quote, “Vijay ke liye kewal ek satyagrahi hi kaafi hai (Only one ‘satyagrahi’ is enough for victory),” in a swipe at the government over the farmers’ protest.

He also used the hashtag farmers protest and posted a video collage with glimpses from the farmers’ protest and Mahatma Gandhi’s satyagraha for independence.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi with a reference to the farm laws.

“The flag of Bapu’s ideas of truth, non-violence and justice is still flying high in the farmers’ ‘satyagraha’ against the black farm laws, in the fight for justice for the tribals of Sonbhadra and for the Dalit girl of Hathras, and in the rising voices for the ideology of love against the ideology of hatred,” she said in a tweet in Hindi.

In a tweet, the Congress, on its official Twitter handle, said, “We pay tribute to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary. As a guiding light, his ideals guide us to work for the nation and its people, following the path of peace and non-violence.”

Several senior Congress leaders, including Congress’ chief spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. Union minister Amit Shah also paid him homage.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and garlanded his statue. A programme was organised at the Raj Bhavan in Lucknow where children presented various bhajans.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spun the ‘charkha’ at the Gandhi Ashram. His Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar paid floral tributes to a portrait of Gandhi and said Bapu’s entire life was devoted to truth, non-violence, sacrifice, love and peace.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, his Gujarat counterpart Bhupendra Patel and Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai also paid homage to Gandhi.

Thackeray said, “Gandhiji’s life gives a message of self-sufficiency, dignity of labour, cleanliness and rural development. He has been a great ambassador of peace and non-violence.”

Patel urged people to assimilate his principles of non-violence and cleanliness while speaking at an all-faith prayer meet organised at Kirti Mandir, a memorial house in Porbandar, located close to Gandhiji’s ancestral house.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi appealed to the younger generation to patronise the khadi products in a big way and thereby improve the lives of the handicrafts artisans.

Accompanied by Chief Minister M K Stalin, state ministers, dignitaries and officials, Ravi paid floral tributes to Gandhi’s statue on the Marina. Also, the governor and the chief minister participated in a bhajan and witnessed a charkha spinning organised by the Chennai Sarvodhaya Sangam.

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, her Haryana counterpart Bandaru Dattatreya and other leaders paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

Soundararajan, Dattatreya, several state ministers,including Mohd Mahmood Ali and K T Rama Rao, visited ‘Bapu Ghat’ at Langar Houz, a memorial dedicated to the Father of the Nation.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, saying people need to make sure that communal forces do not demolish his vision of India where everyone is treated equally.

Puducherry Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Chief Minister N Rangasamy also paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi.

While the tributes poured in for the Father of the Nation, a 1,000 kg handwoven khadi tricolour, the largest in the country, was unfurled atop a high mountain overlooking the Leh valley to commemorate Gandhi Jayanti and the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

Fire and Fury Corps organised a historic event at Leh Garrison where a monumental national flag was unfurled by Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur Srinagar-based PRO Defence Col Emron Musavi said.

The Southern Railway also set up an exclusive section in the heritage photo gallery at its headquarters in Chennai featuring an iconic rail journey taken up by him.

Vintage photographs of Gandhi’s rail travel across Southern India and other important destinations during the freedom struggle have been exhibited at the gallery.

Press Trust of india