Cleaning Ganga is like worshipping her: President

Kolkata: Cleaning the Ganga amounts to worshipping the river considered holy by Hindus, President Pranab Mukherjee said on Sunday.

The president made the comment after inaugurating a statue of Hindu god Shiva at Seth Banshidhar Jalan Smriti Mandir in Howrah.

Mukherjee said the central message of all religions was one -- love, compassion and humanity. "It is this message which enables society move forward in harmony," an official statement quoted him as saying.

He complimented the temple trust for creating a beautiful temple and statue of Shiva on the banks of the Ganga.

He urged the trust and temple authorities to take steps to clean the Ganga and prevent pollution of the river. He said cleaning the Ganga was as important as worship of the river.