High Alert in Delhi

U.S. and Indian security agencies and intelligence services are mounting an unprecedented operation to keep President Obama safe on foreign soil as he arrives here for a historic visit as "chief guest" of Republic Day.

Security is always tight wherever the U.S. president goes, but it appears that measures have been taken to a new level for this trip.

Driving it all is the fact that Obama will spend a several more than two hours outdoors Monday on an open-air viewing platform in the center of the city -- a situation Secret Service tries very hard to avoid.

The situation is made more complicated because foreign military aircraft will be crisscrossing overhead, tens of thousands of residents are expected to be clogging surrounding streets -- and escape routes, and Pakistani militants have been threating terror.

PM : Narendra-Modi Wax Statue

Singh posed with the statue, flanked by Modi. The BJP chief even tried to shake hands with the statue.

Senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde  said over a million people were expected at the rally, being held at the BKC grounds and billed as a show of strength by BJP workers.

Over 22 trains brought in BJP supporters from across Maharashtra, and the organisers made arrangements to distribute over five lakh food packets, many containing Gujarati snack "thepla".

Around 10,000 tea vendors were among those specially invited for the rally.

"Somebody from the Samajwadi Party  said Modi was a tea vendor and a tea vendor cannot become the Prime Minister. And Modiji had replied, 'Desh bechne walo se chai bechne wale achche hote hain' (those who sell tea are better than those who sell the country)," Maharashtra BJP unit president Devendra Fadnavis  said.

"That created a sense of pride amongst the tea vendors of Mumbai and they contacted us and we said 'Yes, you come. We will give you a place to sit'," he said.

Senior BJP leader L K Advani and Shiv Sena  chief Uddhav Thackeray  are not attending the rally.

Obama 'Mann ki Baat' USA

U. S. President Barack Obama will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio interaction Mann Ki Baat on All India Radio on January 27.


That there would be a special programme where the two would share their thoughts and respond to questions was announced by Mr. Modi himself via Twitter on Thursday morning.


In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister invited the public to participate in the programme. Questions can also be posted on the Government's 'MyGov' interactive portal, he said. "Eagerly looking forward" to the special programme, Mr. Modi added that this illustrates a special bond between India and the U.S.


This month’s 'Mann Ki Baat' episode will be a special one, where our Republic Day guest@BarackObama & I will share our thoughts together.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2015


I am eagerly looking forward to the special 'Mann Ki Baat' programme with President@BarackObama, which will be aired on 27th January.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2015


Since October, Mr. Modi has been going on air once a month to address the nation and take questions on issues that are pre-determined. He has spoken on the use of khaadi and against drug abuse from this platform in the past.