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Clinton urged to invite Narayanan for a visit

Some 26 American Congressmen, representing both the Democratic and Republican party, have urged President Bill Clinton to invite Indian President K R Narayanan on a state visit to the United States.

In a letter to Clinton, they said such a high-level visit from India would be 'timely and very important' to the growing Indo-US relations.

They said they were encouraged to make the request by Clinton's message last month describing India as one of the important US partners in bringing international peace and security.

The signatories to the letter, who are associated with the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, recalled the opportunities they had had to interact with Indian government and private sector leaders both in Washington and New Delhi.

''As members of the Caucus, our goal is to improve relations with India. We are convinced that India must take on a far greater prominence in the US foreign policy as we move towards the 21st century,'' they said adding, ''An invitation to President Narayanan is a step towards this goal.''

The US Congressmen made it a point to draw Clinton's attention to the fact that Narayanan was the first member of the dalits, the 'untouchable' class, to become President.

''He came from a poor family and was subjected to intense caste discrimination. Undeterred and through academic excellence, he became one of India's greatest diplomats and law-makers,'' they said.

They recalled what an Indian law-maker had said: ''President Narayanan has risen above the barriers of religion, caste and language that separate us and reached out to the essential unity underlying this land (India) of immense diversities.''

UNI

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