Gandhi at 150: PM Modi Pitches for ‘Plastic-Free’ India
The celebrations are turning out to be a game of one-upmanship between political parties.
Addressing the nation from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, 2 October, PM Modi said that rural India and its villages have declared India open defecation-free.
He also said that target of single-use plastic-free India will have to be achieved by 2022.
- Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri flagged off ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ India plog run at Rajpath in Delhi
- President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Gandhi at Rajghat
- PM Modi released a commemorative Rs 150 coin to mark Gandhi’s 150th birthday
- A photo exhibition on Gandhi’s rail journeys will be held at the Pune railway station
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Amit Shah to Kick Off BJP's 'Gandhi Sankalp Yatra'
BJP president Amit Shah will flag off the party's nationwide “Gandhi Sankalp Yatra” on Wednesday, with its leaders, including Union ministers, scheduled to start the four-month drive from different parts of the country.
Shah will address a meeting in Shalimar Bagh in the national capital before launching the yatra that aims to propagate ideals of the Father of the Nation, including cleanliness, simplicity, use of Khadi and non-violence.
'Gandhi a Global Icon Revered Across Continents': President Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday said Mahatma Gandhi is a global icon revered across continents and he showed everyone the path to communal unity, removal of untouchability and upliftment of women.
Kovind said 'Satya', 'Ahimsa' and 'Sarvodaya' formed the bedrock of Gandhi's numerous messages to humanity.
“Gandhiji is a global icon revered across continents. United Nations has marked Gandhi Jayanti as 'The International Day of Non-Violence'. Gandhian values and many of his methods remain relevant not only for India but for the entire world,” he said.
Congress Organises Padyatras Across Country, Rahul, Sonia to Lead in Delhi
The Congress will celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary on Wednesday by organising 'padayatras' across the country, with party leader Rahul Gandhi joining the foot march in the national capital.
The party has planned a week-long program that will mark the culmination of the year-long celebrations commemorating Gandhi's memory and it will re-emphasize his values.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will thereafter administer the oath to leaders and workers to redeem 'Gandhi, Gandhism and Gandhi's India'. Rahul Gandhi will join the 'padayatra' in Delhi.
PM Modi Pays Respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects to Mahatma Gandhi, on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary, at New Delhi’s Rajghat on Wednesday, 2 October.
Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi Pay Respects at Rajghat
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi also paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.
Vice President, Kejriwal Pay Tributes to Mahatma Gandhi
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to pay their respects.
His Ideals Are Our Guiding Light: PM Modi Remembers Bapu
PM Narendra Modi tweeted a picture of him paying respect to Gandhi and wrote, “Gandhi Ji’s commitment to peace, harmony and brotherhood remained unwavering. He envisioned a world where the poorest of the poor are empowered.”
He added, “His ideals are our guiding light.”
Mahatma Gandhi Showed Love for Non-Violence Is Only Way to Defeat Hatred: Rahul
Rahul Gandhi said that the Father of the Nation showed that love for all living beings and non-violence is the only way to defeat bigotry and hatred.
Taking to Twitter, former party president Rahul Gandhi said: "On his 150th Jayanti, my tributes to Mahatma Gandhi Ji, the 'Father of the Nation', who through his words & deeds, showed us that love for all living beings & non violence is the only way to defeat oppression, bigotry & hatred."
Amit Shah Takes Out 'Sankalp Yatra' On Gandhi Jayanti
Home Minister Amit Shah takes part in 'Gandhi Sankalp Yatra,' in Shalimar Bagh.
Gandhi at 150: Rahul Gandhi Joins 'Sandesh Yatra' in Delhi
Rahul Gandhi arrives at Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office for the party's Gandhi Sandesh Yatra on Gandhi Jayanti.
The 'Gandhi Sandesh Yatra' on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary began from the Delhi Congress office Rajiv Bhavan at Deendayal Upadhyay Marg and headed to Rajghat, about three kilometres away, with enthusiastic party workers waving flags and chanting the slogan 'Mahatma Gandhi Amar Rahein'.
Those Who Indulge in Politics of Falsehood Will Not Understand Mahatma Gandhi: Sonia
Congress president Sonia Gandhi said those who consider themselves supreme and indulge in the politics of falsehood will not understand Mahatma Gandhi's sacrifices and ideals.
In what appeared to be a swipe at the present BJP leadership, Sonia Gandhi told party workers and leaders at Rajghat that the Mahatma's soul would be pained by what has been happening in India in the last 4-5 years.
Sonia Gandhi also administered an oath on Gandhi's ideals to party workers on the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
"How will those who consider themselves supreme understand the sacrifices of Mahatma Gandhi....Those doing politics of falsehood will not understand Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence," Sonia Gandhi said in her brief address on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering in Hindi, she said no matter what others might claim, only the Congress has followed the path of Gandhi and has provided jobs, education and facilities to farmers, accomplishments which are unparalleled.
"India and Gandhi are synonymous. Yet some people want RSS to be synonymous with India," she said, adding that India has arrived at its present state due to Mahatma Gandhi.
BJP Should First Pursue Path of Truth and Then Talk About Mahatma Gandhi: Priyanka
Taking a swipe at the BJP, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said it should first pursue the path of truth shown by Mahatma Gandhi and then talk about him.
She made the remarks before participating in a silent march organised here by the Congress on 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
"It was the order of Gandhiji to pursue the path of truth. First, the BJP should pursue the path of truth and then talk about Gandhiji," the Congress leader said.
The silent march is also being viewed as a show of strength by the Congress which has been on the sidelines of state politics for a long time.
Gandhi at 150: 'Swachhata hi Seva' Plog Run Flagged Off in Delhi
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday, 2 October, flagged off 'Swachhata Hi Seva' India plog run at Rajpath in Delhi to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahamta Gandhi.
Gandhi's First Statue Unveiled in Nepal
Mahatma Gandhi's first statue in Nepal was unveiled on Wednesday on the premises of the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu to mark his 150th birth anniversary.
India's Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri unveiled the statue of Gandhi during a ceremony attended by former ministers, Parliament members, Indian Embassy staffers, business community, civil society leaders, professors, artists and journalists.
Special UP Session to Mark Gandhi's Birth Anniv Begins Amid Opposition Boycott
A special 36-hour session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary began on Wednesday, 2 October, amid boycott by the Opposition prompting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to say that this is not only an "insult" to the Father of the Nation but also a "contempt" of the House.
Setting the proceedings in motion, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Hriday Narain Dixit said such a session was never held in parliamentary history.
"It's unfortunate that opposition leaders, who agreed for the session, are not present. Probably they did not remember that they had given consent for the session," he said.
Only members of the ruling BJP and its ally Apna Dal were present.
The simultaneous sessions of the state assembly and legislative council begun at 11 am and will continue till Thursday night without a break.
PM Modi Releases Commemorative Coin to Mark Gandhi's 150th Birthday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released commemorative Rs 150 coins, on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad.
Rural India Has Declared Itself ODF: PM Modi
Addressing the country from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on Gandhi Jayanti, PM Narendra Modi said that rural India and its villages have declared India open defecation-free.
“I am satisfied that on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, we are witnessing the fulfillment of his dream of 'Swachh Bharat'. I feel lucky that on this occasion when India has successfully stopped open defecation I am here at the ashram,” he wrote in the message book of Sabarmati Ashram.
PM Modi Sets Target to Get Rid of Single-Use Plastic
Speaking at Sabarmati Ashram on Wednesday, PM Modi said that the target of single-use plastic free India will have to be achieved by 2022.