LIVE Updates: Listen to Gandhiji’s favourite bhajan ‘Vaishnav Jan to...’ in qawwali

Vaishnav Jan to is a popular Hindu devotional song (bhajan) from Gujarat. It was composed by the Gujarati poet-saint Narsinh Mehta in the 15th century. It discusses qualities of an ideal person - to be compassionate, to help others, to think of the Divine

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday said the best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary is to take a pledge to defeat the "majoritarian forces" in India that are trying to "kill his ideas".

Leaders from across the political spectrum paid tributes to the Mahatma on his 72nd death anniversary and hailed his contribution towards building India.

"Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by communal, majoritarian forces because he wanted to build a united and secular India, in which everyone - irrespective of her faith - will live in peace & security, with equality and human dignity.

"The best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyrs Day is to pledge once again to defeat the majoritarian forces in India that are still trying to kill his ideas," Yechury tweeted.

The Mahatma was assassinated here on this day in 1948.

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his sister and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.

"I cannot teach you violence, as I do not believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before anyone, even at the cost of your life," Rahul Gandhi remembered the father of the nation quoting Mahatma Gandhi's lines.

He also attached a painting showing people holding Mahatma Gandhi's body, moments after he was shot in Birla House in Delhi.

Priyanka Gandhi, who is also the in-charge for the eastern Uttar Pradesh, also took to twitter and in Hindi said: "Bapu, you are alive in the barns in the fields, in the desires of justice, truth and love."

She also attached a video of Mahatma Gandhi sitting and playing with a baby girl, with a message at the end that read: "On the death anniversary of Bapu, lets take a vow to spread love, not enmity".

In another tweet, Priyanka Gandhi attached the Bapu's message that he gave after the prayer meeting on January 11, 1948: "It is of no consequence by what name we call God in our homes. In the work of the nation, all Indians of all faiths are one."

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on this day in 1948 in the Birla House in New Delhi, and the day is observed as the Martyr's Day across the country.

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 the 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 meeting 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.

Chief of Defence Staff General 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.

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated here on this day in 1948.