Before leaving for Saudi Arabia to attend the funeral of king Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud who died Friday, Vice President Hamid Ansari Saturday greeted the people ahead of Republic Day.
In his message, Ansari said Republic Day was an appropriate occasion to recall and reaffirm the cherished principles of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all, as enshrined in India's Constitution.
"I convey my warm greetings to the citizens of our country on the happy occasion of Republic Day. I also pay my respectful homage to the freedom fighters and the founding fathers of our republic who devoted their lives to the service of the nation," he said.
Ansari Saturday left for Saudi Arabia at the head of an Indian government delegation to attend the funeral of king Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.