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Union Minister Anurag Thakur extended Diwali greetings to the people on Sunday.
"I extend my greetings to the countrymen on the occasion of Diwali. May all your lives be filled with happiness. I hope this festival strengthens the bond of brotherhood and love between people and also firm up our resolve to make India a developed country," Thakur told reporters at Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh. Earlier, on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent his Diwali morning with Indian Army soldiers at Lepcha in Himachal Pradesh and extended heartfelt greetings to the people. Addressing a gathering of soldiers at Lepcha, PM Modi extended his warm wishes to the security personnel posted at the borders, saying, "In the last 30-35 years, there has not been a single Diwali that I have not celebrated with you." "I come and celebrate Diwali every year with our Army personnel. It is said that Ayodhya is where Lord Ram is, but for me, Ayodhya is where Indian Army personnel are. My festival is where you are," PM Modi said. Diwali is observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. It is believed that on this day, Lord Ram (the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu) returned from a 14-year-long exile during which he fought and won a battle against the demon king Ravan. People celebrate the festival by decorating their houses, exchanging gifts, and offering prayers to commemorate the "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". (ANI)
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