President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar attend prayer meet at Gandhi Smriti

Yesterday, on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, President Droupadi Murmu extended her greetings to citizens and appealed to people to follow Mahatma Gandhi's values and teachings in their thoughts, speech, and actions, dedicating themselves to the welfare of the country.

President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar attended a prayer meeting organised on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary at Gandhi Smriti in the national capital. The President and the Vice President were seen sitting in front of a 'Gandhi charkha,' with 'bhajan' (religious songs) playing in the background.

Earlier in the day,  President Murmu, Vice President Dhankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Rajghat here. Later posting on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said, "Mahatma Gandhi's impact is global."

"I bow to Mahatma Gandhi on the special occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. His timeless teachings continue to illuminate our path. Mahatma Gandhi's impact is global, motivating the entire humankind to further the spirit of unity and compassion. May we always work towards fulfilling his dreams. May his thoughts enable every youngster be the agent of change he dreamt of, fostering unity and harmony all over," the Prime Minister said in his post. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Delhi Lieutenant Governor LG Saxena, and Congress national president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also paid tributes to Gandhi at Rajghat.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar town of Gujarat. He adopted a non-violent resistance and was at the forefront of the freedom struggle against colonial British 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 across the world. Globally, Gandhi's birth anniversary is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Prime Minister Modi on Friday launched a cleanliness drive beginning on October 1 to mark the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and said that Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts. 'Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath' Campaign is a mega cleanliness drive to mark the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. This initiative is a run-up to the ‘Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva’ 2023 campaign. Exhorting the people across the country to get involved in the cleanliness campaign, PM Modi said taking the campaign forward will be a giant step towards fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a clean India. (ANI)

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