Martyrs' Day 2020: Narendra Modi, Ram Nath Kovind, Sonia Gandhi pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 72nd death anniversary at Rajghat

New Delhi: The nation on Thursday remembered Mahatma Gandhi on his 72nd death anniversary with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the country in paying homage to the Father of Nation.

Kovind, Modi, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and former prime minister Manmohan Singh offered floral tributes at Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat where an interfaith prayer was held.

Amidst echoes of Gandhi’s favourite bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram’, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and BJP veteran L K Advani were among those who paid homage at Rajghat. A gun salute was given at the memorial where school students and people from different walks of life gathered to pay respects to Bapu.

Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind pays tribute to #MahatmaGandhi at Raj Ghat on his death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/YZuef1luUH

— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2020

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat, Delhi on his death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/xmfThc5jeL

— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, saying the Father of the Nation will continue to inspire people to build a strong, capable and prosperous country. “A tribute to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary. The ideals of Bapu will continue to inspire us to build a strong, capable and prosperous New India,” Modi tweeted.

राष्ट्रपिता महात्मा गांधी की पुण्यतिथि पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन। पूज्य बापू के व्यक्तित्व, विचार और आदर्श हमें सशक्त, सक्षम और समृद्ध न्यू इंडिया के निर्माण के लिए प्रेरित करते रहेंगे।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 30, 2020

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal were among those who paid homage to the Mahatma at Rajghat.

Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to #MahatmaGandhi at Raj Ghat on his death anniversary. pic.twitter.com/HMXhexR3qq

— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2020

Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs - Admiral Sunil Lanba, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and General Manoj Mukund Naravane were also present.

Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, & IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria pay tribute to #MahatmaGandhi on his death anniversary at Raj Ghat. pic.twitter.com/lYx3Xj5biq

— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2020

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on this day in 1948.