Sugar Land Congressman Tom DeLay,one of the moSt powerfull lawmakers in the US today,was the chief guest at a reception on the occasion of Republic Day at the Indian Consulate here on January25.

DeLay was at no loss for words of praise for India and its adherence to democracy.”We can salute the men and women of India,who a half-century ago,demanded to become the masters of their own destiny”,he said.”India and the United States are the largest and most pluralistic democracies in the world.India and the United States have much in common.

Both of our countries prove that a vibrant democracy and a unified country can draw strength from a society containing countless ethnic groups and cultural influences.”