President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st death anniversary on Wednesday.

“On Martyrs’ Day, we gratefully remember Mahatma Gandhi and the countless freedom fighters who sacrificed their all for our Independence,” the President tweeted.

On Martyrs’ Day, we gratefully remember Mahatma Gandhi and the countless freedom fighters who sacrificed their all for our Independence #PresidentKovind

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 30, 2019

Modi said: “We reiterate our commitment to follow the path shown by him and abide by the values he stood for.

“We salute all the martyrs who laid down their lives for India. The country remains eternally grateful to them for their service and sacrifice.”

पूज्य बापू को उनकी पुण्यतिथि पर शत् शत् नमन।

Remembering Bapu on his Punya Tithi. We reiterate our commitment to follow the path shown by him and abide by the values he stood for.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 30, 2019

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu tweeted, “Gandhiji is an inspiration to all mankind. His deep sense of compassion, inclusiveness and transforming noble thoughts into tangible actions with unshaken perseverance had inspired many generations of world leaders.

“Gandhiji was an embodiment of eternal values of truth and non-violence and his life is an eloquent expression of true humanism.”

Gandhiji is an inspiration to all mankind. His deep sense of compassion, inclusiveness and transforming noble thoughts into tangible actions with unshaken perseverance had inspired many generations of world leaders. #MahatmaGandhi pic.twitter.com/oIlRt8ALZL

— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) January 30, 2019

The President, the Prime Minister, the Vice-President and other dignitaries also paid floral tributes at Rajghat.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, too, paid tributes to the Mahatma while sharing a quote by the Father of the Nation.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its weak and vulnerable members are treated,” Gandhi tweeted.

“एक समाज की महानता और प्रगति इस बात से लगायी जा सकती है कि वहां कमजोर और असुरक्षित सदस्यों के साथ कैसा व्यवहार किया जाता है।”

– महात्मा गांधी

बापू को उनकी पुण्यतिथि पर शत्-शत् नमन।#MahatmaGandhi pic.twitter.com/SfNxBASSkJ

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 30, 2019

Gandhi’s assassination is observed in India as Martyrs Day.

On 30 January 1948, Gandhi was fatally shot in the chest three times by RSS member Nathuram Godse who believed that the Mahatma was partial towards Muslims at the time of Partition. Godse was hanged to death in November 1949.