How we wish that US President, Barack Obama makes a visit to India every six months! And maybe he could choose different cities each time. The best in hospitality will naturally be extended to him.
This invitation, however, is not motivated by our love for Obama, though he is a charming man, I am sure. It is more of a love for our civic amenities, or to be more precise, our cities.
Media reports show that Delhi is undergoing a thorough scrubbing. Officials have reported that they are already working hard to round up stray cows, dogs and monkeys and keep them off the streets, when the US President rides around the city. Now, we too would like to keep stray animals off the streets while we ride around. And I must say, we non-Delhiites, basically the rest of the country, are so envious of Delhiites for those three days of cow-free driving that they would have.
Despite Obama’s visit coinciding with election campaign time, we are sure there will no debris of flags, banners and pamphlets left behind after each political nukkad meeting; it’ll all be quickly cleaned up. Obama obviously cannot be allowed to see the dirt and squalor. How thoughtful!
But it seems we locals are not be given such creature comforts. Or as the South Delhi Municipal Corporation leader, Radhey Sharma so admirably told The Hindu, “It’s not like we are doing anything special, but even if someone comes to our homes, we tidy it up.”
He sounds uncannily like my grandfather, who said, if we have guests over regularly, we would always keep our house clean.
So in that context, perhaps President Obama would consent to repeat his visits every few months, next time in Mumbai, in Bangalore after that, and then Chennai and so on. In essence, what we are asking for is only a few days in a year of cow-free driving and litter-free localities. In exchange, we promise him all the largesse and generosity of Indian hospitality and food (we’ll go easy on the green chillies, of course).
It is also being reported that Obama may stay indoors and view the Republic Day parade from a glass enclosure as the pollution levels may not suit his constitution. But if you say the word, the government may invest in carbon monoxide scrubbers (cleans up carbon dioxide and monoxide and gives out pure oxygen) to clean up the air wherever you go. Don’t worry. Take the plunge. And take it up each time you visit a different city in India. After all, we too could do with some air scrubbers. Namaste!
Image Courtesy: BCCL
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