Bouquets, brickbats await Bush in the city of nawabs

HYDERABAD, FEB 26: Hyderabad is the only city apart from Delhi that figures in the itinerary of US President George W Bush when he comes to India this week.
The city of nawabs, where Mr Bush will spend about four hours on Friday, is gearing up to impress upon the President to give it a Consulate status. It may be recalled the external affairs ministry had recently announced setting up of a Secretariat in Hyderabad — the first to be outside Delhi.

Owing to perceived threats from Jihadis and Naxalites, Mr Bush’s security has decided to take him to the various destinations in the city by air. The decision has relieved the Municipal Corporate of Hyderabad and the city police, who are expected to to ensure a smooth passage.
“We had planned to erect platforms for cheering groups to welcome the President at various traffic junctions,” a senior official involved in protocol said.
According to city police commissioner AK Mohanty, US Marine helicopters are being reassembled at Begumpet Airport amidst tight security, while another US airforce aircraft brought two container loads of special communication and surveillance equipment.
Unlike former president Bill Clinton’s visit to
Hyderabad in 2000, Mr Bush will hop over the city in a team of Sikorsky VH-3D helicopters specially brought for the purpose.
As per the tentative agenda, he will be meeting farmers and women leaders at the Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University. Later, he will visit the Indian School of Business, promoted by the elite of India Inc in collaboration with American B-schools, to have an interaction.
As the President flies around the town, First Lady Laura Bush is expected to visit two places out of five she prefers. She will be going around the city by road. Though not finalised, she will definitely visit Freedom Foundation — an asylum for orphan children whose parents died due to AIDS.
But while the government is all set to greet Mr Bush, his visit is expected to be marred by demonstrations and morchas by Communist parties and hardcore Muslim groups, who have announced a slew of protest programmes. The grand finale of the protest campaign will be on March 3. Some Muslim groups have already started organising signature campaigns to record their protest against Mr Bush’s visit to Hyderabad.