The nation is paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 70th death anniversary today. He was assassinated on this day in 1948. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Father of the Nation at Rajghat in New Delhi this morning. <br/><br/>Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and leaders from different political parties also paid tributes.<br/> '<br/>In the evening, an interfaith prayer meeting was organised at Gandhi Smriti at Tees January Marg in New Delhi on the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma and other dignitaries attended the inter-faith prayer meeting. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the dignitaries present in the event observed silence as mark of respect to the Father of the Nation.

The nation is paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 70th death anniversary today. He was assassinated on this day in 1948. President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the Father of the Nation at Rajghat in New Delhi this morning. <br/><br/>Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and leaders from different political parties also paid tributes.<br/> '<br/>In the evening, an interfaith prayer meeting was organised at Gandhi Smriti at Tees January Marg in New Delhi on the martyrdom of Mahatma Gandhi. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and other dignitaries attended the inter-faith prayer meeting. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that the dignitaries present in the event observed silence as mark of respect to the Father of the Nation. A Bhajan Sandhya was organised at Gandhi Smriti and Bhajans dear to Bapu were recited by Bhajan singer Padma Shri Anup Jalota on the occasion. Bapu's favorite Bhajans Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye and Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram were performed.<br/> <br/>Several Union Ministers and school children attended the prayer meeting. The nation also observed a two-minute silence at 11 AM on Bapu's Martyrdom Day. Anti-Leprosy Day is also observed today remembering Mahatma Gandhi's efforts and care for the people affected with leprosy. <br/><br/>A campaign named as the 'Sparsh' Leprosy Awareness Campaign, has been organised in all the Gram Sabhas throughout the country by the Central Leprosy Division of the Health Ministry.