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Our doors are open, says PM

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI Jan. 9. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, surprised many in the audience when he addressed the inaugural session of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in English.

Given the fact that he had addressed even the United Nations General Assembly sessions in Hindi, his decision to switch to English came as a pleasant change.

Even during a visit to Singapore last year, the Prime Minister had irked many in the Indian diaspora there (which is largely Tamil-speaking) by insisting on speaking in Hindi.

At the very end of his speech today, Mr. Vajpayee recited a few lines in Hindi about `Pravasi Bharatiyas', given to him by someone else. ``Videsh mein desh ki shaan badhai, Bharat ki pehchan (You advanced India's pride abroad, India's identity), Sada hamare dil mein baste, kaise kahen mehman (how can we call you guests, when you are always in our hearts).

``Door, door jakar bhi bhool na payen ma ka pyar, is mitti ki gand bikheri saat samandar par (you could not forget a mother's love in far away lands, you spread the scent of India across seven seas).

``Bharat ma ke beton ka hai Bharat mein satkar, jab ji chahe tab aa jaana sada khulen hai dvaar (The children of Bharat are held in high honour in India, you may return anytime; our doors are always open).''

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