By IANS
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil, Vice President M. Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have greeted the nation on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi that will be celebrated Saturday.
Patil, in her message, said that Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that brings people together in gaiety and happiness.
“The president has wished the people of the nation wisdom, prosperity and good fortune in the year ahead,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said Friday.
Vice President Ansari said that the festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesh who symbolizes wisdom, prosperity and happiness.
“Lord Ganesh is invoked before any auspicious work begins and for removing obstacles on the path of spiritual and material success. Ganesh Chaturthi reminds us of the importance of imbibing the sublime and eternal values in our lives to usher in a humane society,” a statement issued by Ansari’s office said.
The prime minister said no less than Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak used the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi for the cause of the freedom struggle.
“Let the festivities associated with Ganesh Chaturthi inspire us to recapture the spirit of the freedom struggle and to rededicate ourselves to the larger cause of nation building,” Manmohan Singh said.