On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tributes to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 153rd birth anniversary. October 2 every year is observed as Gandhi Jayanti to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was at the forefront of the freedom struggle against colonial British rule.
Fondly known as Bapu, Mahatma Gandhi’s unwavering belief in ‘Swaraj’ (self-governance) and ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) won him accolades across the world. Globally, Gandhi’s birth anniversary is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence.
Political leaders including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, President Droupadi Murmu, among others remembered Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversarry.
PM Modi pays tributes to Mahatma Gandhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary and urged everyone to purchase khadi and handicrafts products as a tribute to him.
PM Modi also fondly remembered India’s second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, whose birth anniversary also falls on October 2, noting that he is admired across the country for his simplicity and decisiveness. PM Modi visited Raj Ghat and Vijay Ghat, memorials to Gandhi and Shastri, respectively, to pay tributes to them. - PTI
Gandhi Jayanti celebration returns to China’s picturesque Chaoyang park after two years Covid-induced hiatus
After a two-year Covid-induced hiatus, Gandhi Jayanti celebrations returned to China’s sprawling Chaoyang Park in Beijing as it resonated with the recitation of his famous quotes by Chinese school children and his bhajans by members of the Indian diaspora.
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year at the picturesque Chaoyang Park in Beijing ever since the statue of Gandhi, sculpted by acclaimed sculptor Yuan Xikun, was installed in 2005 on the banks of a lake amid serene surroundings to enable his admirers to pay tributes to the Mahatma.
Mr. Yuan besides being an acclaimed sculptor, who sculpted the statues of famous Chinese and world leaders, is also well connected with the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the long-time Curator of the famous Jin Tai Art Museum located in the Chaoyang park.
Mr. Yuan carved out the Gandhi statue with a unique posture of the Mahatma sitting with a book in his hand.
The installation of Gandhi’s statue for the first time officially in Beijing was regarded as politically significant as for decades the Mahatma, a contemporary of Mao Zedong who led China’s national liberation movement, has remained an enigma in China as the two leaders professed contrasting political philosophies.
While Mao remained a firm advocate of violent liberation movements with his famous dictum that power flows through the barrel of the gun, Gandhi’s successful non-violent movement against the British, in contrast, caught the attention of the world.
Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi along with party leaders attended an event at Badanavalu, Mysuru to mark the 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, on the 25th day of Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Rahul Gandhi offered a floral tribute to the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Khadi Gramodyog, Badanavalu Karnataka at 8 a.m. followed by a prayer meeting.
On the 25th day of Bharat Jodo Yatra, Mr. Gandhi visited Khadi Village Industries at Badnavalu in memory of Bapu, said Congress.- PTI
U.P. CM Yogi Adityanath pays floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of the 153rd birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation at Gandhi Ashram in Lucknow. Mr. Yogi took to Twitter and said, “Humble tributes to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi ji on his holy birth anniversary. He had made an invaluable contribution to the independence of the country by uniting the people in the thread of unity. He is a great inspiration to the countrymen.”
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Yogi encouraged people to purchase Khadi products and CM Yogi also announced Mother Bhoomi Yojana which will be launched today.- ANI
Patnaik plants ‘freedom tree’ to pay tribute to Gandhi, Shastri
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik planted a peepal sapling on the premises of Lok Seva Bhavan here as a mark of tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary.
Asserting that peace and non-violence prevail in Odisha, Mr. Patnaik said this year's Gandhi Jayanti bears a special significance as the country is also celebrating its 75th year of Independence.
Mr. Patnaik, after planting the sapling here that he christened as ‘freedom tree’, called upon people to make India stronger by upholding the virtues of brotherhood and unity.- PTI
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis pay tributes at Sewagram Ashram
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Narayan Rane visited the Sewagram Ashram in Maharashtra on Sunday to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary.
Mr. Tharoor also tried his hand at Ambar Charkha at 'Bapu Kuti' in the ashram, established by Mahatma Gandhi at Wardha, and said the Father of the Nation had shown a direction to the Congress for the freedom struggle.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis and Union minister Narayan Rane also visited the Sewagram Ashram to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.- PTI
President Murmu, Vice-President Dhankhar pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary on Sunday.
President of India Droupadi Murmu pays tribute to father of nation Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his 153rd birthday anniversary at Raj Ghat in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
Both Ms. Murmu and Mr. Dhankhar visited Rajghat, the final resting place of Gandhi, and later Vijay Ghat, the memorial of Shastri, in Delhi.- ANI
Sonia Gandhi, Kharge pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat
Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti.
Sonia Gandhi pays tribute to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his 153rd birthday anniversary. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
On the 153rd anniversary of Gandhi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi tweeted, "Bapu is an example of truth. Bapu is the torch of courage. Bapu is a traveller of India, sharing the sufferings of the country's people and uniting the whole of India.
“Today, we are walking on the path shown by Bapu with the slogan ‘Bharat Jodo’ on our tongue and with the determination to hold the torch of solidarity in hand,” Ms. Vadra added.- ANI
Prashant Kishor starts 3,500 km ‘padayatra’ on Gandhi Jayanti
Political strategist Prashant Kishor began a 3,500-kilometre long ‘padayatra’ from the Gandhi Ashram in Bihar’s West Champaran district on Sunday, the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, as part of his ‘Jan Suraj’ campaign.
Political strategist and Jan Suraj Abhiyan chief Prashant Kishor being greeted by supporters before his ‘Padyatra’ on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, at Hajipur in Vaishali, on October 2, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI
The march is widely seen as a precursor to his entry into politics.
Mr. Kishor and his supporters will attempt to reach every panchayat and block of Bihar during the yatra which is likely to take anywhere between 12 and 15 months to complete.
He started the march from Bhitiharwa Gandhi Ashram, from where Mahatma Gandhi launched his first Satyagraha movement in 1917. - PTI
New High Commissioner leads Gandhi Jayanti tributes in U.K.
India’s new High Commissioner to the U.K., Vikram Doraiswami, on Sunday led Gandhi Jayanti tributes on the 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in London, the city which he noted was where Gandhiji’s “story began” as an apostle of peace and non-violence.
High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom Vikram Doraiswami addresses a ceremony organised on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, at Tavistock Square in London on October 2, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI
At a ceremony bringing together members of the Indian diaspora, parliamentarians and community leaders at a historic statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square, the High Commissioner noted that the commemoration of October 2 as the United Nations’ International Day of Non-Violence is testament to the enduring universal message and legacy of Bapu’s message.
“My life is my message; in those few words he carried a wealth of wisdom,” said Mr. Doraiswami, in his address. “His life was one that was lived in simplicity, in strife and in an effort to bring out from each of us the best that we could be… the more we engage with it, the more we realise that his message contained a wisdom and a value that remains universal,” he said. - PTI
Maharashtra Deputy CM Fadnavis exalts Culture Ministry’s appeal to greet people by saying ‘Vande Mataram’ instead of ‘Hello’
“Rashtra neta” Narendra Modi is pursuing the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi to serve the poor and improve their lives, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File. | Photo Credit: PTI
He was speaking at the ‘Seva Pandharwada’ programme in Wardha district, located 75 kilometres from Nagpur, to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 153rd birth anniversary.
Mr. Fadnavis also visited ‘Bapu Kuti’ in Wardha’s Sewagram Ashram, established by Mahatma Gandhi, and paid tributes to the Father of the Nation.
The BJP leader also hailed the state culture ministry’s campaign appealing to citizens to greet people on phone calls by saying “Vande Mataram” instead of “Hello”. “We need to bring the essence of Vande Mataram into our behaviour. We need to remove the symbols of slavery,” he said. - PTI
Need to channelise energy of youth in right direction as per Gandhi’s vision: Chhattisgarh CM
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday stressed on the need to channelise the energy of youth of the country in the right direction and encourage them to become self-reliant as per Mahatma Gandhi's vision.
The chief minister was speaking at a function, titled 'Gandhi Yuva Aur Naye Bharat Ki Chunautiya’ (Gandhi, Youth and Challenges of New India) held in Raipur to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. File | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Baghel said Gandhiji was assassinated by the ideology, which was afraid of his respect for labour and his efforts to ensure dignity to people from backwards sections.
“Gandhiji had high respect for labour. He worked to ensure dignity to farmers, weavers, workers etc. When the ideology which had kept them (workers and people from backward section) as slaves for thousands of years found that Gandhiji was boosting their self-confidence, they got scared and killed him,” the chief minister said.
He further said that today people need to walk on the same path of respecting labour as shown by the father of the nation.
Kerala Governor, CM pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary.
The Governor said wanted Gandhiji's ideals and noble values to continue to guide the people.
"Pranams to the sacred memory of #MahatmaGandhi, father of the Nation on #GandhiJayanti2022. May his ideals and the noble values he upheld continue to guide us in our way forward," Mr. Khan tweeted.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and CM Pinarayi Vijayan. File | Photo Credit: PTI
Mahatma Gandhi was a leader who sacrificed his life to realise the dream of liberating India from colonial rule and establishing a secular, democratic republic, Mr. Vijayan said while extending his wishes on Gandhi Jayanti.
The chief minister asked the people to uphold Mahatma Gandhi's message of intolerance and brotherhood and to fight against communal forces.
"Let us pledge to uphold Gandhi's message of tolerance and brotherhood and fight against the communal forces that are trying to challenge the unity of the country. Let's strive for the day when equality and justice are equally available to everyone. Happy Gandhi Jayanti to all," Mr. Vijayan said in his message.
