President Pranab Mukherjee urges citizens to make cleanliness 'national passion'

On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday urged countrymen to turn cleanliness into a national passion and ensure that every nook and cranny of the country is kept clean. 

In his message, the President said, "The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation, is an occasion for all of us to rededicate ourselves to Bapuji's ideals of truth, non-violence and all-round development." Gandhi's leadership inspired millions to unite for the cause of freedom and independence and also taught us to stand resolutely against fear, to understand the importance of truth and to work for the betterment of the motherland, the President said.

"Gandhiji believed that cleanliness is next only to Godliness. Let us pledge this day to convert cleanliness into a national passion. Every road, every path, every office, every home, every hut, every stream and every particle in the air around us can and must be kept clean," he said.

He called upon citizens to their utmost to make the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan a success as the government launches the campaign on October 2, that is Gandhiji's birthday for better hygiene, waste management and sanitation across the country.

"I also call upon everyone to work hard to achieve the goal of toilets in every home by 2019 - the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhiji's birth," he said.