New Delhi: India is saying “Namaste Trump” so loudly – at least on its news channels—that US President Donald Trump should be able to hear it on Air Force One as it wings its way towards Ahmedabad.
Trump may never have seen anything like the welcome that awaits him along the 22 km roadshow and at the “worlds’ biggest stadium” (as news channels repeatedly reminded viewers) — certainly we have never seen anything like it before on TV news.
When was the last time you saw live and full coverage of the US President’s Q&A with the media before he left the White House to begin his journey to India?
Well, you saw it Sunday on DD News.
When have you witnessed Air Force One take off from Andrews Base, live? Well, you saw it yesterday across channels — from DD News and India Today to WION. And the Republic announced in ‘Breaking News’ — “Trump has taken off’’.
And when last did you see Anjana Om Kashyap sway gently in an open air vehicle describing the sights of Ahmedabad on the eve of Trump’s arrival (Aaj Tak)?
Channels went creative: India TV created a special montage on the many occasion Trump made his “personal chemistry” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi evident; Republic and ABP News focused on the special preparations underway in Ahmedabad for the visit — from Sabarmati Ashram’s decorations to the special menu being prepared for Trump.
The latter was of considerable interest to Republic TV which described in detail the “delicacies” being prepared for the Trumps: Gujarat’s favorite dhokla will share the platter with apple pie, the all time American favorite.
On ABP, chef Suresh Khanna ran through the special high tea planned at Sabarmati Ashram — Gujarati khaman, multigrain cookies, and “authentic” fresh apple pie made with a “proper hygiene system”.
India TV said the visit was a testament to “Dil Dosti aur Diplomacy ka naya chapter” as it was the first time an US President was visiting India with his entire family. It added that with the visit, there was a clear message to Pakistan — “Kayade mein rahoge toh fayade mein rahoge”.
On Zee News, anchors Sachin Arora and Aman Chopra sat against the backdrop of the newly-constructed cricket stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad. They wanted to know something very important: why did Congress choose this “proud moment” for India, to compare Trump to the Bollywood villain Mogambo?
Congress supporter Shubhransh Rai said that Trump may be welcome, but asked what was the actual benefit of these negotiations, as Trump’s policies of H1B visa or policies for small business owners had not helped India.
Aaj Tak’s `Halla Bol’ with Sweta Singh, too, focused on Trump’s visit as its Gujarat Bureau chief excitedly pointed out the spot where China’s Xi Jinping also did “jhoola jhuli” with Modi — at the Sabarmati riverfront.
Political analyst Himmat Shah observed that Trump wants India to cut exports to the US while it also wants India to increase imports from the US. “This is not a trade deal that benefits India”.
BJP’s Amit Thacker, on the other hand, said this was not about “deal dosti” but “will dosti” as the Trump-Modi friendship was a historic milestone for Indo-US relations.
NDTV 24×7’s ‘Left Right Centre’, took the Trump visit more seriously than the others: anchor Vishnu Som questioned America’s stand on the Kashmir issue ahead of the visit.
Former IIM Ahmedabad director Dr. Bakul Dholakia said that international criticism about Kashmir was only a “make belief perception”. Som pointed out that the issue had been raised by several European MPs. Dholakia dismissed the MPs as a few with “vested interests”.
Economist Dr. Y.K. Alagh, however, said that dismissing concerns flagged by countries was not “realistic” as it had “serious implications” for India’s foreign relations.
Other topics also surfaced at prime time. On ‘The Newshour’, Times Now focused on New Delhi’s anti-CAA protests, after BJP leader Kapil Mishra warned Delhi police about clearing out anti-CAA protests or else. The anchor Preeti Dahiya wanted to know if this didn’t needlessly exacerbate the situation?
Political analyst Shehzad Poonawalla said the “experiment” that was Shaheen Bagh had turned into a ‘franchise model’ of a “separatist narrative” and the “grammar of anarchy”. But activist Tahira Hasan said that if the Supreme Court — the highest law of the land — had constituted a committee to look into the protest, who was Mishra to intervene and instigate people? “Should he not be in jail?” she asked.
Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami, too, had his eyes on the anti-CAA protests, which he claimed were “watering down” and “withering away”. He asked his panel whether one section of society — “self-declared intellectuals” — were trying to legitimise the rule of mob in the name of participatory democracy?
Author Tuhin A. Sinha alleged that what may have been a genuine protest started by some “Muslim women who were ignorant about the CAA” has been capitalised on by Islamic fundamentalists who have seen an “attractive start up strategy”.
JD(S) national spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed chimed in saying that in every Muslim and India heart one thing rang loud — “Hindustan zindabad”.
