US Prez arrives Saturday in Mumbai on a 3-day India visit
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, Nov 6, IRNA -- The US President, Barack Obama, Saturday arrived in Mumbai, the business capital of India, on a three day India visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and Union Minister for Minority Affairs received Obama at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
Obama, who reached Mumbai in forenoon today, will first pay homage to victims of the terror attacks of 26/11. He will then attend a business summit organized by Indo-US Business Council in association with India’s permier business bodies, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industury (FICCI) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). On the 7th of November he will address a ‘Town Hall’ meeting and associated events at the St Xavier’s College
He (Obama) flies to Delhi the same day, November 7, and will visit the Humayun's tomb in the capital. After that, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will host the Obamas at a private dinner.
The official component of President Obama's visit is on November 8 beginning with the ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace), said Rao.
President Obama and the Prime Minister will meet in the forenoon and discuss bilateral, regional and global developments of mutual concern. They will also discuss how to expand the strategic framework of Indian-US relations on the basis of shared values and interests, she added.
On conclusion of the Summit level meeting, they will preside over the meeting of the India-US CEO Forum. Thereafter the two leaders will address a Joint Press Conference.
In the afternoon, the Vice-President, Hamid Ansari, Leader of Opposition and Chairperson UPA Mrs. Sonia Gandhi will call on President Obama. That evening President Obama will address a joint session of both houses of the Parliament.
His official program concludes with a meeting with the President, Mrs. Pratibha Patil.
President Obama leaves Delhi in the forenoon of November 9.
Obama is accompanied by wife, Mrs Michelle Obama, and a high-level delegation. A large business delegation and media delegation are also accompanying the President.
The last Presidential visit to India from the US was that of President George Bush in 2006.
Meanwhile, Thousands of Indian Muslims belonging to both Shi'a and Sunni sects, jointly staged a demonstration yesterday, after Friday Prayers in Lucknow against US President Barack Obama’s India visit, beginning from Saturday, November 6.
Moreover, the Left Parties, comprising Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), Communist Party of India (CPI), Forward Bloc (FB) and Rashtriya Socialist Party (RSP) have also announced to stage demonstrations across the country against Obama’s visit.
Through this, they would be drawing the attention of the government to atrocities being committed against humanity by the US and Israel and urged for a change in the foreign policy towards these two as they both are against humanity as a whole and anti-Muslims in particular.
It is to be noted that Indian Muslims led by the Left parties and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP) had held a rally in the Capital during Obama’s predecessor, George Bush’s visit in 2006 in protest against the US war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Then, the Left, with its strength of 61 MPs in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament) alone, was an ally of the Manmohan Singh government.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30059311
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