On Sunday, President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary.
Both Murmu and Dhankhar visited Rajghat, the final resting place of Gandhi, and later Vijay Ghat, the memorial of Shastri, in Delhi.
Gandhi’s birth anniversary is observed globally as the International Day of Non-Violence, underlining his philosophy of non-violence to achieve social or political change. Several events are held in India and worldwide to mark the occasion.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to the Mahatma and Shastri at Rajghat and Vijay Ghat respectively.
Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar town of Gujarat, Mahatma Gandhi or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi adopted a non-violent resistance and was at the forefront of the freedom struggle against British colonial rule.
This led to India finally achieving its independence in 1947.
Fondly known as ‘Bapu’, his unwavering belief in ‘Swaraj’ (self-governance) and ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) won him accolades worldwide.
Taking to a microblogging site, Vice President added, “My humble tributes to the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi Ji on his birth anniversary today. One of the most influential personalities of modern India, Bapu remains the moral anchor and beacon of hope for the entire humanity in these troubled times. ”
Adding further, “In today’s strife-torn world, Gandhi Ji’s sane voice guides humanity that war is not a solution to any problem. As we celebrate his inspirational life, let us pray for a peaceful world that is free of violence, extremism, terrorism and all form of discrimination. ”
Born in Uttar Pradesh in 1904, Shastri was the second Prime Minister of India and served from 1964 to 1966. He died in Tashkent on January 11, 1966, at the age of 61, soon after signing the Tashkent Pact with Pakistan.
Vice President also added, “Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji was a visionary leader who steered India during one of the most defining phases in its history. His clarion call ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ continues to reverberate in the heart of every Indian. My humble tributes on his Jayanti today.”