New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge paid tribute to freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak on their birth anniversary,

Posting the tribute on X, Kharge quoted Azad on religious tolerance, 'I believe in a religion that teaches equality and brotherhood.'

https://x.com/kharge/status/1947851782853693538

'On the birth anniversary of the great revolutionary, the immortal martyr Chandra Shekhar Azad, a brave son of Mother India who sacrificed his life for the freedom of the motherland, we pay our respectful homage to him,' the Congress chief's post added.

Payin homage to Tilak, Kharge's post, with the words of the freedom fighter, read 'If your thoughts are just, your goals are honest, and your efforts are constitutional, then I have full faith that your success is certain.''On the birth anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who played a pivotal role in laying the foundation of India's freedom movement, shaped nationalism in its truest Indian essence, dedicated his life to the Congress, founded the Indian Home Rule League, and was a great social reformer, we offer our humble tributes to him,' his post added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to the freedom fighters.

'Tributes to Chandra Shekhar Azad on his birth anniversary. He epitomised unparalleled valour and grit. His role in India's quest for freedom is deeply valued and motivates our youth to stand up for what is just, with courage and conviction,' the Prime Minister wrote on X.

Paying a tribute to Tilak in another post, PM Modi added, 'Remembering Lokmanya Tilak on his birth anniversary. He was a pioneering leader who played a vital role in kindling the spirit of India's freedom movement with unwavering conviction. He was also an outstanding thinker who believed in the power of knowledge and serving others.'

Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born in 1856. Scholar, mathematician, philosopher, and passionate nationalist, Tilak helped create the framework for India's independence by turning his opposition to British rule into a movement. He was the president of the Indian Home Rule League when it was created in 1914. He and Mohammed Ali Jinnah signed the Lucknow Pact in 1916, ensuring Hindu-Muslim cooperation in the nationalist movement.

Chandra Shekhar Sitaram Tiwari, famously known as Chandrasekhar Azad, was born in 1906 and hailed from the Unnao district in the erstwhile United Provinces under British rule. He was the leader of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). Azad had taken over the organisation after the death of its founder, Ram Prasad Bismil, another freedom fighter who was hanged by the British in 1927.

Chandrashekhar Azad was inspired to fight for the country from a very young age and was just 15 when he participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement. He's famous for his slogan, 'We will face the bullets of enemies. We were free and we will remain free.' (ANI)