The country is set to remember Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly remembered as 'Bapu' for the people, on October 2. Today marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, whose birthday was a day before on October 1, said in his statement that Gandhi Jayanti is a special occasion for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the values of truth, non-violence, harmony, morality and simplicity. He added that "Satya, Ahimsa and Sarvodaya formed the bedrock of Mahatama Gandhi`s numerous messages to humanity. Gandhiji is a global icon revered across continents, he said, the United Nations has marked Gandhi Jayanti as "The International Day of Non-Violence" as well.
Gandhian values and many of his methods remain relevant not only for India but for the entire world, President Kovind said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's schedule remains just as busy with paying tributes to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The Prime Minister will begin his day by visiting Raj Ghat, the resting place of Mahatma, at 7:20 AM. After paying his tributes to the Father of the Nation, Modi will visit Vijay Ghat, the memorial of India's second Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, at 7:50 AM. Notably, Shastri shared his birthday with Bapu.
After that, Prime Minister Modi will reach the Parliament at 10:30 AM, where he will pay floral tributes to both the leaders.
In the evening, he will fly off to Ahmedabad where BJP leaders and the state cabinet members will welcome him. A programme will be held at the airport where he will address a public meeting. He will then visit the Sabarmati Ashram where to garland the Gandhi statue. The Prime Minister, who launched the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign in 2014, in remembrance of Gandhi, will take part in an event for cleanliness there. The 'Swachh Bharat' campaign was launched with the goal to make India open-defecation free, with Gandhi`s iconic spectacles serving as the campaign`s logo.
There will be a programme on the riverfront at 7 pm where thousands of sarpanches from all over Gujarat will be present. Around 8.30 pm, PM Modi will visit the GMDC ground in Ahmedabad to participate in the Navratri festival. He will depart for Delhi at around 9.30 pm.
BJP President and Home Minister Amit Shah will address a small gathering in Delhi`s Shalimar Bagh on the occasion. Shah will also flag off a `Gandhi Sankalp Yatra` from the Ramlila Maidan.
Meanwhile, BJP working president JP Nadda will join Gandhi Sankalp Yatra at Chand Vatika, near Khaira village, whereas Union minister Prakash Javadekar will join in at Chuna Bhatti area of Kirti Nagar. All Delhi MPs and senior BJP leaders will join this yatra at different points across Delhi.
On the other hand, Congress will observe the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Wednesday by taking out "padyatras (foot marches)" across the country with senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi taking part in the march at Delhi.
The march in the national capital will start from Delhi Pradesh Congress office and culminate at Rajghat, the memorial of Gandhi. Later, Congress President Sonia Gandhi will administer an oath to leaders and workers "to redeem Gandhi, Gandhism and Gandhi's India".
A Congress release said on Tuesday that party workers and leaders will walk to the tune of Gandhi's favourite bhajan "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram".
The party will observe week-long programmes to mark Gandhi's birth anniversary.
