Tributes paid to Vajpayee on first death anniversary

New Delhi: A prayer meeting was held at Sadaiv Atal--the memorial to Atal Bihari Vajpayee--on Friday to mark the first death anniversary of the former prime minister.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and members of Vajpayee's family were amongst those who paid tributes to the BJP leader amid the playing of hymns and devotional music.

PM Modi tweeted...

Remembering Atal Ji on his Punya Tithi. His thoughts and words live on. We will always cherish his contribution to India’s development.

Paid tributes to Atal Ji at Sadaiv Atal this morning. pic.twitter.com/RRZFnlcfTT

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2019

The memorial was dedicated to the nation in December last year. The central samadhi platform comprises nine square black polished granite stone blocks, capped with a "diya" in the centre. Vajpayee (93) died on August 16 last year at AIIMS.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, remembering Atal Bihari Vajpayee tweeted...

पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री और एक जनप्रिय नेता आदरणीय अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी की प्रथम पुण्यतिथि पर ‘सदैव अटल' स्मारक जाकर उनको श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की। pic.twitter.com/lDafYmWycX

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 16, 2019

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday paid her tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The Trinamool Congress chief, who had served as the railway minister in Vajpayee-led cabinet, urged people to bear in mind his principles of 'insaniyat (humanism), jamhooriyat (democracy) and kashmiriyat (inclusive Kashmiri culture)'.

"Tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, former Prime Minister, on his first death anniversary. Let us recall his words: 'The gun can solve no problems. Issues can be guided by the three principles of insaniyat, jamhooriyat and kashmiriyat'," Banerjee tweeted.