Nation remembers Gandhi and Shastri on birth anniversary

New Delhi, Oct 2: India on Wednesday remembered

on the occasion of his 144th birth anniversary with top leaders paying floral tributes at his memorial here.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior BJP leader L K Advani were among prominent leaders who payed homage to Father of the Nation.

The Congress President was the first to arrive at Rajghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi followed by BJP leader L K Advani and his daughter Pratibha. After a while, the Prime Minister arrived at Rajghat and paid floral tributes to Bapu.

Singh and Sonia greeted each other with folded hands. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit were seated between them.

Other dignitaries who visited Rajghat included Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath, senior Congress Leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Manikrao H Gavit, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit among others.

Top brass politicians pay tribute to Gandhi and Shastri

An all-religion prayer was conducted during the ceremony. The favourite hymns of Gandhi were also played on the occasion.

The nation also remembered former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 109th birth anniversary. President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi, Advani also paid floral tributes to Shastri, who gave the slogan 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan', at his memorial at Vijay Ghat.

Shastri's sons Anil Shastri and Sunil Shastri were also present at the ceremony.

PTI