Swaraj adorns bust of Shastri in Uzbekistan

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj laid floral tributes at the bust of India’s second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at his memorial in the Uzbek capital yesterday.

Swaraj, who arrived in Tashkent on Saturday for her first visit to Uzbekistan, visited the Shastri memorial yesterday morning.

“EAM Sushma Swaraj paying floral tribute to freedom fighter and 2nd Prime Minister of India Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri at his memorial in Tashkent,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted along with a photograph of the minister.

At the memorial, Swaraj also met with Yakov Shapiro who sculpted the bronze bust of Shastri.

Shastri died in Tashkent in January 1966 after signing the Tashkent Declaration that formally ended a war between India and Pakistan.

Meeting with Speaker

A memorial was there in his memory.

Earlier, Swaraj met with Speaker of Uzbekistan’s Legislative Assembly Nurdinjon Ismoilov and discussed the role of Parliament in fostering closer people-to-people relationship.

“EAM Sushma Swaraj met the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Oliy Majlis [Parliament] of Uzbekistan Nurdinjon Ismoilov and representatives of political fractions in their Parliament. Discussed the role of Parliament in fostering closer people-to-people relationship,” Kumar said.

Swaraj also addressed the Indian community here and inaugurated a mango festival.

“Promoting Indian mangoes in Uzbekistan! EAM Sushma Swaraj inaugurated a Mango Festival organised by the Government of Uttar Pradesh with participation of mango exporters in Tashkent. The exporters will visit fruit markets and meet fruit traders,” Kumar tweeted.

Swaraj also interacted with Uzbek Indologists, Hindi teachers and students. built