Lucknow
government welcome Clinton along with Sant Chhatwal
Lucknow, September 5, 2005
Channi Wala
The former US President Bill Clinton
along with NRI Sant Chhatwal hoteliers will be in
Lucknow on September 7 to inaugurate the State Rural
Health Mission. He will discuss the health situation
in India, especially the spread of HIV/AIDS. Clinton
appreciated the Indian government's efforts in creating
awareness and providing AIDS patients with anti-retroviral
treatment
City
set to welcome Clinton
Lucknow News Line
Alka Pande
Lucknow, September 5: The Nawabs of Lucknow are going
to disappoint the former US President Bill Clinton.
Before taking a maiden trip to the capital of the
most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh, Clinton
had conveyed a message to the UP Chief Minister’s
office, forwarding a demand for a mango-based dessert
in the menu.
Unfortunately, the UP government (despite having
a huge export of Nawab brand mangoes this year) had
to express its helplessness in obliging the connoisseur’s
taste buds.
‘‘We said sorry as the season of mangoes
is over,’’ said an official from the Chief
Minister’s office.
‘‘But we are arranging for other delicacies
of Awadh like galawat ke kebabsc for Mr Clinton,’’
he added.
There will be variety in food, but quantity will
give way to quality — ‘‘for example,
only 150 pieces of kebabs will be prepared on special
order,’’ the officer elaborated.
Clinton will be in Lucknow on September 7 to inaugurate
the State Rural Health Mission.
Preparations are in full swing, with the government
officers talking about the VVIP’s visit in a
hush-hush tone. High level meetings are in the offing
as well.
The security personnel of former US President have
already arrived in the city on Friday and discussed
the security arrangements at length.
‘‘Clinton will be arriving in a private
aircraft of Clinton Foundation, on 7 September morning
and the same day he will leave in the evening,’’
Principal Secretary Home Alok Sinha told Newsline.
Noted NRI industrialist Sant Chhatwal, who has a
chain of hotels in US, will be accompanying the former
US president along with many other US industrialists.
The guest list of the privileged VVIPs from across
the country - who are going to be present at the exclusive
dinner to be hosted by the UP Chief Minister, includes
the names from industrial houses, film industry and
politics.
The list will very definitely include Reliance Infocomm
chief Anil Ambani, actor Amitabh Bachchan, and media
personalities like Arun Poorie, MJ Akbar.
Many of the guests will be from Tamil nadu, say officials.
‘‘It might be because Tamil Nadu is the
state that is experiencing AIDS menace and Clinton
is known to have a keen interest in extending help
in the field of HIV/AIDS,’’ say government
officials.
The UP branch of Naaz Foundation, the international
voluntary organisation working on AIDS/HIV —
has contacted the representatives of Clinton’s
Foundation in US to know about his programme.
‘‘We are seeking a few minutes with Clinton
as he had shown great concern when the Naaz office
was raided in UP four years ago,’’ said
Arif of Naaz Foundation UP Branch.
‘‘The who’s who of the country will
be flying to Lucknow on September 7. As many as five
dignitaries will be landing in the city of Nawabs
in their private planes that will remain parked at
the Amausi Airport that day,’’ said the
CM Office sources.
The Director of the Amausi airport, Ravi Prakash,
however, said he had so far not received any official
confirmation about it from the Airport Authority of
India. ‘‘But in case parking is required
here we have enough space,’’ he said.
