Ahmedabad, Feb 24: US President Donald Trump arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday for the first leg of his India trip.
The Air Force One plane carrying Trump and his wife Melania landed at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel international airport here at 11.37 am, officials said.
It was scheduled to land at 11.40 am.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Ahmedabad over an hour before Trump did, was present at the airport to welcome the US president at the airport.
In Ahmedabad, Trump will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, take part in a roadshow with Modi and jointly address over one lakh people at a cricket stadium, before heading for Agra to see the iconic Taj Mahal with Melania.
Trump, who is also accompanied by daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner and top brass of his administration, will get a taste of India's cultural melange during his high- optics Gujarat itinerary, after the bonhomie between the two leaders at the 'Howdy, Modi!' event in Houston last year.
The US president and Modi will participate in a roadshow from the airport to Sabarmti Ashram and from there to the newly-built Motera cricket stadium, where over a lakh people are expected to be present for the 'Namaste Trump' event.
Dance groups and singers from different parts of the country will be performing on stages that are dotting the 22- km route of the 'India roadshow' in the city.
Huge billboards of the two leaders and replicas of historic places in Gujarat have also been placed along the roads where people will greet the two leaders.
Over 10,000 police personnel, besides officials of the United States Secret Service, and personnel of the National Security Guards (NSG) and the Special Protection Group (SPG) have been deployed for the high profile visit.
The seventh US president to visit India, Trump on Sunday retweeted a video in which his face was superimposed on the hit Indian movie-character Bahubali, showing him as a great saviour.
Modi will accompany Trump to the Sabarmati Ashram, which was home to Mahatma Gandhi from 1917-1930 during India's freedom struggle.
Several world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have visited Sabarmati Ashram in recent years.
Ashram secretary Amrut Modi said Trump will spend 15 minutes at the place.
"Trump will visit the 'Hriday Kunj'. If he wishes, he will spin a charkha (spinning wheel). We will also gift him a coffee-table book, and a book containing 150 quotations of Gandhi," the Ashram official said.
Hriday Kunj is a room on the Ashram premises where Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi had lived for 12 years between 1918 and 1930.
The official said the US President would be briefed about Gandhiji and the importance of charkha as a symbol of self-reliance.
There will be a cultural extravaganza at the Motera stadium during the 'Namaste Trump' event, where Trump and Modi will address the gathering.
Bollywood singer Kailash Kher and some Gujarati folk singers will perform at the stadium, officials of the Gujarat Cricket Association said.
Students of various government and private schools have also been roped in to perform at cultural events and they have been practicing for days, an official said.
Billboards with slogans hailing Indo-US relations and having pictures of Trump and Modi walking together, shaking hands, and waving at the crowd during the 'Howdy Modi' event are dotting the city.
Comments
Its all like a Drama.... nee Atta haage maadu.. naaa hodeda haage maduttene...
If you have real concern about Mangalore Minority, Please please please arrest him.. your own government your own administration.
Hello Kodichal bhai, why sou moto case ? Let the people know that You or your Congressmen doesn't have guts to register a case against him. Wear Bangles and sit at home, your prepoll planned press conference will not give any mileage. We all know you guys want bhatta or any other card to use it for your election purpose. Know one is dependent on Karnataka congress government. Also tell ministers in DK to wear saree and sit at home. Don't worry about Bhatta, we know how to deal with him and out to prevent communal harmony.
Haji Ibrahim Bhai.
Two years back same bhatta barked at Gurupura against Muslims, the same congress party is ruling karnataka... Until now no any action taken against him.
Youth congRSS president Mithun Rai shouted at Gurupura, in future if bhatta going to speak anywhere he will take hindu youngsters of congRSS to stop his speech. Where is now this mithun?
You congRSS people can fool all the muslims one time, not all the time.
We now understand what is congRSS, and what is BJP.
Stop drama.... arrest bhatta now and put him behind jail for long time. then only we can understand original congress is ruling karnataka.
dont give any press conference.
No use of making bow, bow ...... in the public....Bhatta is ready with Anticipatory bill.... Still you trust xxxxxx cong ....
Shame on you kodichal.
Your own party ruling the karnataka.
Don't do drama in front of the people. There is no need to announce openly to arrest Batta. Order police to arrest him and put into cell.
What a drama?? you congress people are best for drama only, you people are in power and you people begging with police, shame on you congress.. Congress cheating people only with statement. Muslims also blindly supporting these people. what a tragedy.
These useless leaders are joking their selves! When the people gave them power why to fear RSS??? Or Is RSS controlling Congress Leaders??? Next time please don't come to ask for vote by showing RSS fear!!! People of Dk understood the Reality.
Your own Siddramulla Khan is ruling Karnataka. prior to last election he had promised to take action against Bhat. now his partymen want advice from Bhat's pariwar.
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