Headlines
Obama visit: Officials too face security heat
New Delhi, Jan 25
Common citizens were not the
only ones who faced problems due to the unprecedented security net cast
around Hyderabad House and areas near India Gate in the national
capital before the India-US summit level talks.
Eyewitnesses said
Indian Ambassador to the United States S. Jaishanker and Joint
Secretary (America) Vinay Kwatra of the External Affairs Ministry had a
tough time getting into the venue for the talks.
Jaishanker was heard telling police personnel that “the prime minister was waiting for me insideâ€, but to no avail.
Both then called up some senior officials before negotiating their entry into the high-security zone.
-*-
Dog’s day out
Minutes
before the scheduled arrival of Obama, who was running late by 15
minutes, a stray dog broke through the tight security cordon and ambled
in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, probably giving a taste of
the real India to the visiting American delegation.
Officials made little effort to stop the dog who seemed to be at ease within the precincts of the majestic president's house.
As
the light brown mongrel took a round of the lined up guard of honour,
photographers had a great time capturing shots from all directions.
In fact it was the media, which pointed out the dog to the security personnel present, who then tried to shoo away the canine.
Some
US reporters, who were present in the media gallery were also seen
having a good laugh. However, when chased, the dog tried to run up the
stairs of the forecourt drawing more laughs.
-*-
Nattily dressed ministers
As
everyone waited for US President Barack Obama at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
Sunday, all eyes were on the smartly dressed union ministers, including
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is usually seen in casual
half-sleeve coloured shirts or over-sized sweat shirts.
This
time, however, he was wearing trousers, a white full sleeve shirt paired
with a dark Nehru jacket. He was followed by a dapper-looking Minister
in Waiting Piyush Goyal, who wore a formal dark brown bandhgala and
looked very happy with the role he was playing.
Urban Development
Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu also stood out. Naidu, who is usually
dressed in a traditional white dhoti, was seen in trousers and a Nehru
jacket.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was resplendent
in a red and white and gold sari. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was also
wearing a formal dark-coloured bandgala.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh was the only one wearing traditional Indian attire - a white kurta pyjama and a Nehru jacket.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi had himself changed into a pinstriped bandhgala
from his morning attire of light cream-coloured kurta pyjama with beige
Nehru jacket paired with a red shawl.
-*-
Obama’s gift draws eyes
Authorities at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat had an interesting tidbit to display after Obama's visit.
A rock from Martin Luther King junior memorial in the US was put on display for the media people, hungry for some information.
Officials
said the rock was gifted by Obama, who has described Gandhi as an
"inspirational figure", during his last visit to Rajghat in Nov 8, 2010.
-*-
A fidgety horse at guard of honour
As
the entire Indian top brass, including President Pranab Mukherjee,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior members of the union cabinet
waited for Obama to arrive, it was a horse in the cavalcade of the guard
of honour that seemed to be getting impatient for the VIP arrival.
The
horse, a part of the mounted cavalcade and the President’s Bodyguard,
was seen fidgeting and was quickly controlled by his guard.