Gandhinagar: The US President's 'fun and the feast' (pun intended) trip to Gujarat accompanied by his wife Melania is acquiring shades of a mystery wrapped in an enigma after the sudden arrival on the scene of a 'Donald Trump Abhinandan Samiti'.
The Indian media's Sherlock Holmes have been running round in circles ever since Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the Namaste Trump (Kem Chho Trump in Gujarati) event at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad on February 24 was being organized by the “Donald Trump Nagrik Abhinandan Samiti”, a public felicitation committee of sorts.
There had been no overt or covert signs of any such felicitation panel till the time Kumar alluded to it. Internet afficionados had also drawn a blank in tracing any digital footprints of it.
Inquiries in this regard, both with the state government and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation which have pulled out all stops in making the event a success have so far failed to yield the desired results.
There has been no presence of any such panel in any official communication, hoarding or welcome posters that have sprung up in Ahmedabad.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala was quick to question the origins of the group as well as the existence of its office-bearers. "Dear PM intriguing news from @MEAIndia! Please state, who is the President of Donald Trump Abhinandan Samiti? When was the invitation extended to US President and accepted? Why is President Trump then saying you have promised him a grand event with seven million people.
Why is Gujarat govt then spending Rs 120 crore for a three hour event organized by an unknown private entity. India values its visiting dignitaries but please note that diplomacy is serious government business and not a series of photo-ops”.
Govt officials are involved in deciding the colour coding of district-wise seating arrangements of people being ferried from various parts of the state to the stadium. Clear instructions have also gone out that differently-abled persons should not be brought or allowed into the stadium.
