New Delhi: Every year the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (October 2) is observed as Gandhi Jayanti in India. This year October 2 marks the 153rd birthday anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, born in Porbandar, Gujarat, in 1869. He was one of the most prominent figures in the fight for India's independence. The world observes the day as International Day of Non-Violence because Gandhi helped lead India to independence and has been the inspiration for non-violent movements for civil rights and social change across the world.
On the occasion, several leaders took to Twitter to remember 'Bapu' on Gandhi Jayanti:
President of India Draupadi Murmu, "Gandhi Jayanti in as occasion for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the values of his inspiring life -- peace, equality and communal harmony."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a video tribute with a tweet, "Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on Gandhi Jayanti. This Gandhi Jayanti is even more special because India is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. May we always live up to Bapu’s ideals." He also urged to Indians buy Khadi and handcrafted products as a tribute to Gandhi Ji.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a tweet, wrote, "I bow to Mahatma Gandhi, the pioneer of truth, non-violence and peace, on his birth anniversary. His ideas of Swadeshi, Swabhasha, Swaraj and Sahakar will continue to inspire every Indian to serve the nation."
Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar in his tweet said that Gandhi's "noble ideals, compassion, and timeless wisdom remain a beacon for lasting solutions, the world over".
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted on International Day of Non-Violence: "We can defeat today's challenges by embracing these values & working across cultures & borders to build a better future."
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge paid tributes to both Gandhi and former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary and wrote, "One trait that both Gandhiji & Shastriji had in common was absolute resolve which continues to inspire us."
The world holds Mahatma Gandhi in the highest regard as one of history's most influential and motivating personalities. A brave defender of the rights and dignity of all people for the entirety of his life in South Africa and India, MK Gandhi became the symbol of non-violent movements throughout the world.