Vice President Venkaiah Naidu greets people on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti

In a message, he said that Gandhiji’s principles of liberty, dignity and equality are not limited by space and time and they have universal applicability and timeless value.

"I convey my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the occasion of the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji’s principles of liberty, dignity and equality are not limited by space and time. They have universal applicability and timeless value," said Naidu.

The VP said that the disarming simplicity of Gandhiji's personal life, his message of tolerance and accommodation, the courage and audacity with which he challenged injustice, his unflinching adherence to the principles of truth and non-violence and his unwavering commitment to the cause of freedom for the nation and its people made him one of the tallest leaders to have ever walked this earth.

"India continuously draws inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s vision: One of the most successful programmes that has been launched is the Swachh Bharat Programme or the Clean India Programme which sought to realize one of Gandhiji’s precious dreams.  As India crosses a major milestone of achieving an open defecation free society, there are many more challenges to be addressed," Naidu noted.

He said that Gandhiji envisioned a self-reliant India, a nation free from poverty, discrimination and social evils, a country that occupies a place of pride and dignity in the world.

"On this Gandhi Jayanti let us collectively pledge to honor the Mahatma by working together to realize his vision for an India that is inclusive, harmonious clean and prosperous," pledged Naidu.