New Delhi: A bust of revolutionary Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh was unveiled in the national capital by Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi and Vietnam Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau.
This is the second bust of Vietnam President Ho Chi Minh to be installed in India. The first one is located in Kolkata.
Lekhi, while paying her tribute to late Vietnam National Movement Campaigner, said: “I’m happy to be here to pay my respect to President Ho Chi Minh whose love for our country lay the foundation of Vietnam- India relations on politics, diplomacy, economics, defence-security, education-training, science and technology and people to people relations”.
“Present political structure of both counties may be different, but we share a strong historical & cultural bond,” Lekhi said.
Ambassador Pham talked about Ho Chi Minh’s close ties with India.
“Uncle Ho wrote over 60 articles, research papers, poems, letters, telegraph messages & speeches about India and his experience with Indian leaders. His in-depth knowledge about India and its people and his close association with the then Indian PM Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru has helped cement Vietnam-India relationship,” he said.
Ho Chi Minh had visited India thrice – in 1911, in 1946 as head of state with India as a stop on his way to France for peace dialogues, and finally in 1958 for 13 days, as official state visit as the president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
India had also supported the Vietnamese movement for independence from France, opposed American involvement in the Vietnam War, and supported unification of Vietnam.
