PM Modi, top leaders pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (October 2) led the nation in paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, New Delhi, on his 150th birth anniversary.

He tweeted, “We express gratitude to Mahatma Gandhi for his everlasting contribution to humanity. We pledge to continue working hard to realise his dreams and create a better planet.”

President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also paid their tributes at the Rajghat.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi also paid floral tributes to Gandhi shortly before Modi arrived. BJP veteran LK Advani, Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Hardeep Singh Puri, and BJP working president JP Nadda were among the others who paid floral tributes to Gandhi.

PM Modi, Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi also visited the Vijay Ghat to pay homage to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Other leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, paid homage to Gandhi on Twitter.

The BJP, as well as the Congress, has planned several events to mark the event.

Also check out: Mahatma Gandhi @ 150

BJP state president for Gujarat Jitu Vaghani said that Modi will visit the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad today to take part in the celebrations of Gandhi Jayanti, according to The Indian Express. A ‘Sarva Dharm Prarthana’ (all faith prayer) will be held at the Ashram around 8:30 AM.

Another BJP leader mentioned that the prime minister will later visit the Sabarmati riverfront to declare the country open defecation-free in the presence of over 20,000 village heads.

(With inputs from agencies)