PrimeMinister Narendra Modi will kickstart countrywide celebrations to mark the 150thbirth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on Wednesday.
The PrimeMinister, who launched the Swachh Bharat campaign in 2014 will declare thecountry open defecation free at the Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat in the evening.
The BJP andthe opposition Congress, which are making efforts to claim Mahatma Gandhi'slegacy have planned various events across the country on Gandhi Jayanti.
Modi beganhis day with a visit to Rajghat, the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi and paidfloral tribute to the nation's father. In a tweet, Modi said, "Tributes tobeloved Bapu! On #Gandhi 150, we express gratitude to Mahatma Gandhi for hiseverlasting contribution to humanity. We pledge to continue working hard to realizehis dreams and create a better planet."
Modi willalso visit Vijayghat, the resting place of former Prime Minister Lal BahadurShastri, who also shares his birthday with Gandhi.
The PM willnext go to Parliament where he will pay floral tributes to both the leaders andwill fly to Ahmedabad in the evening and will visit Sabarmati Ashram to declarethe country as open defecation-free in the presence of over 20,000 villageheads.