Leaders across party lines pay tribute to Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday, November 14, paid tributes to India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his 129th birth anniversary.

Former president Pranab Mukherjee, former vice president Hamid Ansari, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Gandhi paid their respects to Nehru at Shantivan. "Remembering Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, our first Prime Minister, on his birth anniversary," read a post on the official Twitter handle of the President Kovind.

Nehru was born to Motilal Nehru and Swaroop Rani on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh and his birthday is celebrated as Children's Day. He remained in office until his death in 1964.

Congress president, Rahul Gandhi also tweeted, “On the birth anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the best way for us to honour him, is by rededicating ourselves to Freedom, Democracy, Secularism & Socialism. These were the core values he believed in and fought for. These are the core values that bind our nation together.”

Modi recalled Nehru's contribution in India's freedom struggle and during his tenure as prime minister. "Remembering our first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary. We recall his contribution to our freedom struggle and during his tenure as Prime Minister," he tweeted.

Tricolour balloons were released amid playing of bands and singing of patriotic songs by school children at Nehru's memorial Shantivan.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan led parliamentarians in paying tributes to the first prime minister at the Central Hall of Parliament.

Besides Mahajan, senior leaders L K Advani, Sonia Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, Union minister Vijay Goel, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda among others paid homage to Nehru.

(with PTI inputs)