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Vajpayee, Putin stick to mother tongues

For the second time this year, the Central Hall of Parliament came alive as Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday charmed the gathering of MPs and other dignitaries with praises about India and assurances that Indo-Russian relations were free of fluctuations.

Putin, who greeted the gathering in a packed hall with "namaste," made his address to the members of both Houses of Parliament in Russian.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke in Hindi.

Both leaders traced back their relations as "civilisational" and mentioned Leo Tolstoy.

During his 15-minute speech, dotted by loud applauses, Putin emphasised the importance of Russia's ties with India "whatever our relations with other countries" and assured that "nothing has changed" in the past years.

The 48-year-old leader who spoke of the charm and magic of India, said he was "sincerely touched" by the reception he has received.

Vajpayee said relations between India and Russia "transcend the twists and turns of history and politics."

Putin, whose address received a long ovation, later shook hands with MPs and special invitees in the Central Hall, and was presented shawls by a couple of them.

Earlier, he was escorted to the Central Hall by Rajya Sabha Chairman Krishan Kant, Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan.

PTI

The Putin visit: The full coverage

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