The Trump Tango In Modiland !
BY
R.K.MISRA
What
is common between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and American
President Donald Trump? A king size ego, giant size events and an obsession with walls that separate rather
than bridges that bind !
Modi’s Gujarat is fond of comparing
his brainchild, the Statue of Unity(SOU) as being twice as high as America’s
Statue of Liberty. Again, Houston’s ‘Howdy Modi” last year should be both outclassed and outnumbered two to
one in the ‘Namaste President Trump’ at
Ahmedabad.
If
the US President is building a 576- mile
wall. costing $20 million a mile, to
fence off his country from Mexico, the civic body in Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s home state of Gujarat is at work
building a wall of its own too. Only that this one is to keep the slums of his model state out of Trump’s sight. Then again,
the Trump extravaganza is the inaugural event at the 1.10 lakh capacity,
biggest stadium in the world built at a
cost over Rs 800 crores. It is unlike anything
that the US may have and carries the distinct imprint of the Indian prime
minister’s thought process.
The
government-both Centre and Gujarat- are pulling out all stops to ensure a one
of it’s kind experience to US President Donald Trump in his re-election year
when he visits Ahmedabad for three hours
on February 24.A local newspaper has calculated the expenditure being incurred
on the three hour visit at around Rs 115 crores or Rs 64 lakh a minute
or a lakh per second.
If
on the one hand, the head honchos of India’s corporate world are being lined up
to mark presence at the world’s biggest
1.10 lakh capacity Motera stadium, on the other slums are being ordered
evicted or put behind concrete walls to
ensure a feel good for the distinguished
visitor.
The
US President and his wife Melanie begin their two day India visit from
Ahmedabad on February 24 and shall
proceed from the airport to the Sabarmati ashram which was a key centre piece
of Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for India’s independence. Thereafter, accompanied
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi they shall take part in an almost 20 km long
mega road show that will lead them to the Motera stadium for an inaugural
function replete with Indian corporate czars and cultural programmes. The ‘kem
chho Trump” later re-named as “Namaste President Trump” to give it a national
appeal is a follow-up of the ‘Howdy
Mody’ attended by Trump at Houston last year. Trump is on record stating that Modi has told
him that millions will line up to greet him.
However
,Gujarat’s three hours of American glory is a logistics nightmare for the state’s bureaucracy. With an advance
party overseeing the security of US President Donald Trump laying down
guidelines, the Gujarat administration is stretched to its sinews in
compliance. This is more so because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants
the stadium packed to the brim of its 1.10 lakh capacity
and the roads en-route to be lined thick and deep. Not one to leave anything to
chance, he will be in his home state a
night earlier to review preparations.
Over 2000 buses have been requisitioned to
put together the required numbers from
all over the state ,a journey that needs
anywhere from one to eight hours of overnight travelling time to reach Ahmedabad
at 7 a.m. and then walk to the venue. Since no food items ,not even water will
be allowed to be carried inside the stadium, arrangements have been made
for 7 lakh water cups,3 lakh buttermilk tetrapacks, a 25- bed hospital ,a
hundred toilets and lakhs of caps
carrying ”Namaste President Trump” logo to be worn by the crowd.
In
fact, invitations have gone out to a galaxy of corporate czars including Mukesh
Ambani ,Ratan Tata, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Gautam Adani, Sudhir Mehta, A.M.Naik,
Pankaj Patel with 6000 seats reserved for Indian trade and industry.
The
downside of this event and road show is
that all business establishments including shops and eateries along the route
have been ordered shut for the duration
of the visit and residents of residential enclaves directed to remain
indoors. The larger area of the US president’s route will witness an almost
total shut down . Those who would like
to greet the passing President must
submit copies of their aadhar card and
mobile numbers duly verified by a bonafide office-bearer of the enclave which will then be exchanged for a
police pass to be worn round the neck.
People lining up on the route as well as
those attending the Motera stadium event have been strictly warned not to wear
black or carry anything remotely resembling the colour ,not even handkerchiefs
or duppattas as those sporting such apparel (construed as colour of protest) will
not be permitted. The 25,000 police officers and men mobilised for the visit
have been particularly warned to look
out for any signs of protest.
The
inordinately high expenditure being incurred on the event and the
total exclusion of opposition leaders has understandably stirred up a hornets nest. The Ministry of External
Affairs only added fuel to fire when it stated that the event was being organized
by a ‘Donald Trump Public Felicitation Committee’. Until February 20 there had
been no signs of any panel nor any digital footprints with the government- both
centre and state- directly in the picture. A day later the name of the
Ahmedabad mayor Bijal Patel surfaced as its head. Speculation was rife that
this was a way to avoid any scrutiny of the inordinately high and haphazard expenses
being incurred .
Congress
spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala was quick to question the origins of the
group. When was the invitation extended to the US President and accepted? Why
is President Trump then saying that you have promised him a grand event with
seven million people? Why is the Gujarat government spending Rs 120 crores for
a three hour event organized by an unknown private entity?
Former
chief minister and NCP leader Shankersinh Vaghela calls it a waste of public
money that would be better spent on building schools ,colleges and hospitals. ”He
comes looking for votes of expat Indians in an election year and we involve
ourselves in the politics of another country. Will this ensure a change in US visa policy towards Indians?,
highly unlikely”.
For
now ,Modi seems least bothered, with his one -upmanship set for full display. Earlier Chinese President X Jinping, Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been
similarly feted in Ahmedabad.
It
is his show of strength to the US President ,says a BJP leader. ”Then why not
do it in Delhi which is the country’s capital”, counters the Congress
opposition. “Is it not ironic that the man who made Gujarati pride his election
plank all the time is subjecting his own people to such ignominy in their own
land just to impress a foreign head of state. What does this show’, asks another former chief minister. He sure has a point.
In
an unprecedented move, perhaps for the first time in the history of the state
the annual budget session of the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha is being postponed from
February 24 to 26 to facilitate a foreign dignitary's visit !
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