Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Indian diaspora in the Netherlands and drew parallels to the popularity of tulips in the Netherlands and the lotus in India.
"Jis tarah Netherlands ko Tulip ke liye jana jata hai, waise hi Bharat Lotus yane kamal ke liye jana jata hai," PM Modi said. Which roughly translates to, "The Netherlands is known for tulips, just as India is known for the lotus."
"Both the tulip and the lotus teach us that whether the roots are in water or in the earth, one gains both beauty and strength," he said." Notably, Lotus is also India's national flower.
While addressing the Indian community in The Hague, he said, "As I was entering here, I could see the spirit of the entire Maharashtra and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, my beloved Rajasthan, and friends from UP and Assam among you all."
Praising the grand welcome from the Indian diaspora, he said, "Seeing so much love and enthusiasm, I forgot for a moment that I am in the Netherlands, and it felt like I was attending a festival in India."
PM Modi Meets King & Queen of Netherlands
PM Modi also met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands during his visit to the European country.
PM is in the Netherlands till May 17. This marks his second visit to the country, with his previous visit taking place in 2017
