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Journalism of Courage
During their half-an-hour meeting at the White House, US President George W. Bush and Indian Deputy PM L.K. Advani had different issues weighing over their minds. Iraq loomed large over Bush8217;s thoughts, while Advani8217;s priority was Pakistan. The moment Bush requested that India lend its troops for stabilising read policing Iraq, Advani remarked: 8216;8216;Our troops are performing many duties which they are not supposed to.8217;8217; His reference was to the policing of the terrorist-affected Jammu and Kashmir by the Army.
Cash-box
Levelled, all!
Their high-sounding designations not withstanding, it was a sight watching India8217;s Ambassador to the US Lalit Mansingh, Home Secretary N. Gopalaswami, Intelligence Bureau Director K.P. Singh, Joint Secretary USC in the MEA Jayant Prasad, Advani8217;s OSD Ajay Prasad and Private Secretary Deepak Chopra being frisked at Dulles Airport at Washington. They had their shoes removed, their coats taken off and their hands raised 8212; all for a security check. The Americans, mercifully, spared Advani.
Special item!
The compere at a reception hosted by the South California Indian community at Hotel Westin Bonaventure at Los Angeles announced: 8216;8216;Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special item for you this evening. She is Hema Malini. Give her a big hand.8217;8217; The audience obeyed. Hema Malini offered tough competition to Advani for photo sessions. In fact, she had a larger queue waiting to be photographed with her.
Nearer the altar8230;
Advani, despite being a movie-bug, skipped a visit to Hollywood. His favourite films include Titanic and Bridge on the River Kwai. One could mark a touch of saffron at Hollywood with images of Ganapati towering over the Egyptian Gods at a popular square.
We can beat them
A cheering crowd of people in front of a string of shops lining the sea-face on the Santa Monica Beach at Los Angeles was shouting 8216;8216;huba, huba8217;8217;. A magician was busy conducting a show. He climbed on to the back of a chair and shouted: 8216;8216;Should I jump on to the glass below,8217;8217; he asked pointing at the glass pieces piled over a sack. 8216;8216;Yes,8217;8217; the crowd shouted in a chorus. 8216;8216;Oh my god,8217;8217; he cried and then yelled: 8216;8216;Ladies and gentlemen, say huba, huba8217;8217;. The ritual over, and he jumped on to the glass. The audience, totally moved by this act of bravery, started paying up liberally. Another young man, holding a pair of plastic snakes, was trying to entertain a set of people close by. This being the level of the trade, if only our saperas and madaris get a chance, they would give these Yankee magicians a good run for their money.
