Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to 'Lok Nayak' Jayaprakash Narayan on his 118th birth anniversary and remembered his contribution to the fight for freedom and for leading the mass movement when "our democratic ethos was under attack."
"I bow to Loknayak JP on his Jayanti. He valiantly fought for India's freedom and when our democratic ethos was under attack, he led a strong mass movement to protect it. For him, there was nothing above national interest and people's welfare," PM Modi said in a tweet.
Modi also remembered JP's ardent follower and social activist Nanaji Deshmukh who shared his birthday with the socialist leader.
The 'Lok Nayak' was one of the prominent faces of the Quit India Movement and he is remembered for leading the mid-1970s opposition against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, for whose overthrow he had called for a "total revolution".
The Janata Party was voted into power and became the first non-Congress party to form a government at the Centre under his guidance.
He was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999.
The Prime Minister, in a subsequent tweet, said that Nanaji Deshmukh's work in the field of rural development was a source of motivation for him.
Sharing a clip from his monthly address to the nation, Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi further added that "India is proud that legends like Loknayak JP and Nanaji Deshmukh were born in this land. Today is a day to rededicate ourselves towards fulfilling their vision for our nation."
(With agencies)
