Mizoram governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Thursday conveyed his greetings to the people of the state and wished them on the occasion of Christmas and New Year.

In his seven-point message, the governor said he and his wife have felt the immense warmth, love and affection that the people of Mizoram have showered upon them during a short period of time since he joined the post last month.

“Christmas is a season of joy and happiness. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we are reminded of His ultimate act of love and sacrifice. The message of Jesus Christ is the universal message of love. Jesus taught us to be good human beings.....This means that we should always be ready to show kindness and treat each other with respect,” the message said.

The governor urged the people to take to their hearts the message of unity and fraternity as Christmas brings with it the message of peace.

“As God-fearing citizens, it is our duty to maintain and promote peace and communal harmony at all cost,” he said.

He lauded the people as law-abiding citizens with a strong sense of community and urged them to cooperate with the governments both at the Centre and the state to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a new India.

Pillai also urged the people to welcome the New Year with a renewed sense of optimism, hope and vigour.

Pillai, a lawyer from Kerala, was sworn in as the 21st governor of Mizoram on November 5. He held many posts in the BJP and was president of its Kerala unit from 2003 to 2006. In 2018, he was again appointed the BJP state unit president.

Outside his political and professional sphere, Pillai is known to be a social activist and a prolific writer.