NEW DELHI: On September 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded the US that in India, there were two images of 9/11—one of the trail of destruction in Washington and New York in 2001 and the other, the message of Swami Vivekananda in Chicago in 1893. Now, on the threshold of his September 26 visit to the US, a country that denied him a visa for over a decade, Modi’s party is making sure enough euphoria is being generated to create an image the world is unlikely to forget in a hurry.
While the organisers—the Indian American Community Foundation (IACF)—a newly-floated body comprising 300 US-based organisations with nationalist and Sangh roots is still deciding on using the Vivekananda theme to mark Modi’s visit, the 20,000 tickets for Modi’s appearance at Madison Square Gardens have already sold out.
The $3.5 million event is being handled by Mumbai-born Gujarati medic Dr Bharat Barai, president of IACF, in close liaisoning with PMO officials and BJP leaders. Former RSS leader and current BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who earlier visited the US to coordinate among different groups there, will again leave for US in the next few days to oversee arrangements, and keep a close watch that the function planned by the independent US bodies takes place without a hitch.
Sources said as there were still some differences between the various organisers, Madhav would be around to see the event is not used by some vested interests for personal gains. Apart from Madhav, Modi’s confidant and Indian Forest Service officer Bharat Lal is also coordinating with the organisers. Lal is a resident commissioner of Gujarat in Delhi.
“We are liasoning with the consulate, embassy and the PMO to chalk out the details. We update them on all the steps taken and exchange inputs,” an event organiser said over phone from US.
The event has been planned as Modi’s felicitation by the 3 million strong Indian community in the US, rather than one planned by BJP’s official units. The party’s overseas units are though engaged in mobilising people there, but have been deliberately kept away so that event gets a non-partisan, apolitical feel.
The organisers have roped in Indian-American Miss America 2014, Nina Duvaluri, to play master of ceremonies along with Hari Sriniwasan, a TV journalist.
To make sure local talents are highlighted, IACF officials said they would get local artists to perform before Modi arrives at the Madison Square Gardens at 11.30am. The visitors have been asked to assemble by 10 am. Indian food stalls will be set up as no outside food is allowed.
If Modi’s speech will be screened live through US cable operators, and even by putting up giant screens in other parts of the country, in India, the speech will be made available through BJP’s official live TV platform Yuvatv. “We will webcast the live event and also use social media,” BJP’s IT cell incharge Arvind Gupta said. BJP sources said Modi’s entry into the US was being planned to create a buzz so that it becomes one of the biggest events to be addressed by any foreign leader in that country. The 20,000 strength Madison Square Gardens will be filled to capacity, in sharp contrast to earlier gatherings addressed by former PMs that attracted around 1000-odd invitees.