PM Modi, political leaders pay tributes to Tilak, Azad on their birth anniversary

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other political leaders on Tuesday paid tributes to freedom fighters Chandra Shekhar Azad and Bal Gangadhar Tilak at their birth anniversary.

Modi said the country will remember the leaders for their courage and heroic legacy.

"I bow to Lokmanya Tilak on his birth anniversary. Full of patriotism, he was a freedom fighter who devoted his life to achieve freedom. The thankful nation will always remember his contribution," Modi wrote on Twitter, along with attaching a video message with it.

Prime Minister said that Tilak was intelligent and courageous to make realise British officers of their mistakes.

British were so scared of them that they tried to impose anti-nation law three times in 20 years, he said.

Expressing his respect for Chandra Shekhar Azad, Prime Minister Modi said: "My humble tribute to the son of Bharat Mata, Chandrasekhar Azad, on his birth anniversary. He was a bold and determined revolutionary, who sacrificed his life for the country's freedom. His heroic legacy is a source of inspiration for the countrymen."

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also remembered Azad on the occasion.

"I bow to the great revolutionary Chandrasekhar Azad, who sacrificed his everything fighting for the independence on his birth anniversary."

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also followed the suit.

While Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born in Chikhali village in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, Azad took birth in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh in 1906.