Saturday, December 27, 2014

Obama's impending visit may include Varanasi



Modi is toying with an idea  take Obama in his constituency in Varanasi to make this  city a  more prominent.  Already this city has got a niche with the embellishment of PM’s constituency and if by any chance, Obama decides to visit here in the month of January 2015, definitely this city of the Ganges with an environment of the sublime will be a talk among the Indians and Americans over there. Both the government machineries of India and America are exploring the possibility to keep a slot for President’s visit in Varanasi, after he lands in India on the eve of 26th January, 15.  Indian government is very keen to air dash Obama and for that matter, they are exerting their influence on the authorities of the USA.  As per the latest information, the White House is also keen for their President’s visit in Varanasi, but squeezing the time and then whisking him over there is really a matter of struggle.

Modi obviously has done a remarkable job by convincing Obama to visit India on the eve of the next Republic Day and attend the same and now it is to be seen whether he can further exert his persuasive skills to make his visit possible to Varanasi, the holy city of India.

The efforts of taking Obama to Vararnasi are two pronged. One to make Varanasi in the limelight and second, to all the foreign related issues and discussions should not be always confined to Delhi. It is a common trend that most of the high level overseas dignitaries in the rank of President, PM or some other high officials of various countries, visit Delhi, have discussions with their counterpart of Indian Government and then fly back from there itself. Modi has made a little bit change in this customary process.  He is instrumental to take the Chinese President to Ahmedabad directly instead of receiving him in Delhi.

As for Obama’s visit to Varanasi, many hurdles are seen, namely lack of proper roads to suit the convoy of a President of USA and his entourage, the city being very congested and the size of the airport and the existing facility therein. Further, Obama’s hectic schedule which includes a banquet hosted by the President of India, attending the parade on the Republic Day and some bi-lateral talks, it may not be that feasible for him to get air dashed to Varanasi within a short period of his whole schedule. In the past, visiting dignitaries had visited small cities like Agra to see the glamorous beauty of Taj Mahal and also some important cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore for their paramount importance for IT hubs, but Modi wants that political discussions must be conducted in the other cities apart from Delhi.

In line with his said desire, he has been instrumental to take the heads of other countries to various places of strategic importance and accordingly, Modi tried to take Russian President V. Putin to Kudankulan in his last visit to India. But Putin had to cancel the trip at the last moment because of some of the worries back at home and a technical fault in the plant in Tamilnadu.

Modi superbly manages his PRO while dealing with the Presidents and PMs of various countries, but in the domestic front, he is not able to exercise his authoritative power to that extent, which is very much required for the purpose of the ascendant of country’s economical evolution.In the last winter session, both in the upper house and the lower house, most of the working days  was paralyzed on the pretext of one or the other demand of the opposition parties,  Sometimes, it was in Modi’s presence and some other time, in his absence.  But this is the fact; the past six months have not at all produced any tangible benefits or to that matter any result oriented decisions, which can be described as a precursor of many reforms. 

Though some decisions like reduction in petrol and diesel prices and some other commodities causing a low rate of inflation and introduction of some schemes like Pradahn Mantri Jan Dhan Yogana are feel good factor, but overall governance does not vouch for a very satisfactory outcome as compared to the earlier government and his predecessor. Modi has really to tighten his belt to ensure the development of economics and infrastructure, otherwise it will not be late to receive the wrath from common public.

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