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THE NATION: BILL CLINTON
The Earth Citizen
The former US president returns
to India to share the sorrows of quake-hit Gujarat
By Sheela Raval in Bhuj and Anjar
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SOLIDARITY GESTURE: (above) Clinton
with the schoolchildren who survived the quake in Anjar; and (below)
with Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel in Ahmedabad |
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On Republic Day
this year, Nadeesh Kodrani, 12, walked on this street in Anjar with hundreds
of his schoolmates ... Then the earth shook and for 150 of them, it was
their last walk on this planet. Last Wednesday, Nandeesh walked on the
same street with a man who was till the other day the most powerful politician
on earth. They, along with Hashmukh Thakkar, father of Namita, one of
the victims, and M. Maheshwari, the school principal, placed roses on
the narrow lane of memory. And memories won't die on the bylanes of Anjar,
and they will forever follow Nandeesh, the living.
William Jefferson Clinton, the man who walked
with Nandeesh, is good at telegenic memorial services.
On display was vintage Clinton. An enchanter
who knows how to win hearts and influence minds. And his Kutch odyssey,
the first part of his eight-day Back-to-India mission, was an essay on
I-do-care solidarity. The moment the casually dressed Clinton stepped
out of a navy-blue Cherokee, the atmosphere got electrified. The crowd
adored him, and he, as usual, adored the crowd. They believed him: he
could make a difference. "I hope he will really help us to rebuild
our houses," said Nandeesh. And Clinton was hope personified. "The
TV images and newspaper pictures didn't prepare me for this mutilated
landscape. The magnitude of the devastation is shocking and disturbing.
I intend to get involved in the long-term programme and this is not merely
a one-time visit," he told INDIA TODAY.
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COMPASSIONATELY YOURS: Clinton,
as usual, was the conqueror of hearts wherever he went. The former
president gets a traditional welcome from Rabari tribeswomen at
Ratnal village (above) and is surrounded by star-struck admirers
in Ahmedabad
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Can't be, for he is currently in India as a representative
of the newly formed American India Foundation (AIF), which has rich NRIs
as members. Clinton was instrumental in the formation of the AIF. It all
started when his office contacted Victor Menezes, chairman and CEO of
Citibank, with the idea. AIF wants to tap private, corporate and academic
resources for the rehabilitation of 100 villages in Kutch. "We have
already collected $5 million (Rs 23.25 crore) and hope to raise another
$50 million by organising six events across the US with the help of Clinton,"
said AIF Treasurer Anil Bhandari. What quake-hit Gujarat saw on that sweltering
Wednesday was an intimate prelude to that. For five hours in Kutch, with
charmer-in-chief Clinton in the vanguard, 30 NRI worthies and AIF benefactors
braved the heat and dust to absorb the despair of the living. No air-conditioned
limos for the travellers in the "mutilated landscape", only
non-ac minibuses. As Mike Patel, the chief organiser of the trip, said,
"The purpose is to feel the impact of the disaster and experience
the ground reality."
But who's footing the bill? The organisers are
tightlipped, though one of them admits that a large chunk of the expense
on Clinton's five-destination (Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Jaipur)
trip is shared by a couple of individuals and some Indian business houses.
The 52 tickets on the United Airlines flight
were bought by Vinod Gupta, a millionaire NRI. Reliance Industries, Mahindra
and Mahindra and Raymonds have provided chartered flights in the Gujarat
sector. Part of the security is being provided by the Government of India
and various state governments. The Taj Group has not charged for five
rooms, including Clinton's, and has even given a 50 per cent discount
to the delegates in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Kolkata. The Taj is the official
caterer of the tour and chef Satish Arora will take care of Clinton's
food preferences throughout the trip. At the Taj Ummed in Ahmedabad, Clinton
liked his late Indian dinner so much that it lasted a good three hours.
For Clinton, the journey to Kutch was defined
by an Indian summer of sorrow, as it was written on the face of Nandeesh.
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