Gandhi Jayanti: PM Narendra Modi pays floral tribute to 'Father of Nation'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid floral tribute to 'Father of the Nation' Mahatma Gandhi on his 148th birth anniversary at Rajghat.

The Prime Minister also took to Twitter and said, "????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???-??? ???! (I pay tribute to Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti) I bow to beloved Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. His noble ideals motivate millions across the world."

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani also paid their homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

On a related note, 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' was launched on this day in 2014 by the NDA government to make people aware about the advantages of cleanliness.

The drive completes its three years today.

The school students nationwide will also participate in the cleanliness drives to pay homage to the Father of the Nation.

Mahatma Gandhi, also known as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was born on 2 October, 1869, and died on 30 January, 1948.

He was a political and spiritual leader in India and played a key role in the Indian independence movement. Gandhi developed the novel technique of non-violent agitation, which he called "Satyagraha".

He is known for his non-violent civil disobedience in India and South Africa. These included the start of the non-cooperation movement in 1922 and the Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March starting on March 12, 1930.

Through Mahatma Gandhi's efforts, India finally gained its freedom on August 15, 1947. The nation mourned for him after he was assassinated on January 30, 1948.

The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Non-Violence is also held on October 2 each year to coincide with Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.

India also celebrates the birth anniversary of its second prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri. Shastri joined the Indian independence movement in the 1920s. He died on 11 January, 1966.

Shastri died in Tashkent, at 2 a.m. a day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to a heart attack. People, till date, allege conspiracy behind the death.

He was the first prime minister of India to die overseas.

-ANI