Remembering Chacha Nehru on his birthday

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and top leaders of the Congress on Friday paid rich tributes to country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his 125th birth anniversary but no one from the National Democratic Alliance government was present at the event.

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Students pay tribute to a sand sculpture of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made by noted sand artist Sudarshan Pattanaik in Bhubaneswar. Photograph: PTI Photo

Little children in Ahmedabad pay their respects to former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, a day before his first birth anniversary. Photograph: PTI photo

President Pranab Mukherjee paid a floral tribute to Nehru at his Samadhi at Shantivan, New Delhi. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh also were present at the event to honour Chacha Nehru. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

Among the other dignitaries present, Vice President Hamid Ansari too was present and placed a wreath at Nehru’s Samadhi. Photograph: Press Information Bureau

At the end of the ceremony, the dignitaries released tricolour balloons in the air amid playing of bands by students.

Though Union Ministers attended a number of functions to commemorate Nehru's birth anniversary, no government representative was present at the event in Shanti Van, in a break from convention.

At an event to commemorate Nehru's 125th birth anniversary, Congress had on Thursday launched a sharp but veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of seeking to destroy the secular vision of the first prime minister.

The Congress has been accusing Modi of appropriating the legacy of freedom movement leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.

Nehru was born to Motilal Nehru and Swaroop Rani on November 14, 1889, in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh and his birthday is celebrated as Children's Day in India as he was fond of kids.