NEWS

Bush visit: Chaos in Hyderabad

By Ashok Pandit in Hyderabad
February 28, 2006 21:13 IST

US President George Bush, who is scheduled to spend about four hours in Hyderabad, will not deliver any speech during his visit to N G Ranga Agriculture University or the Indian School of Business, according to official sources.

Bush will interact with farmers, agriculture scientists and a select group of women from some self-help groups.

Father of the green revolution Dr Swaminathan has also been invited. However, so far there has been no confirmation about his participation, the officials add.

Meanwhile, the issue of media passes to cover the visit of the US president has come in for sharp criticism.

While some newspapers got passes for both the venues, some got only for one venue. Some leading vernacular papers and TV channels from the state were completely left out.

Explaining the confusion, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said initially they were asked to select 10 media representatives for each programme and later the number was increased to 13.

Following protest of discrimination by the media, Chief Secretary T K Dewan spoke to New Delhi and got permission to increase the number to 20. 

The Information and Public Relations Department in Hyderabad was tearing its hair on how to set right the anomaly.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, the US secret agency was yet to give them a final itinerary of the Bush visit.

The CM's office was first informed that US president would visit N G Ranga Agriculture University at 11.30 am, but then they changed the timing to 10.30 am.

"We are given different timings and nothing is final," the officials added.

It is learnt that they have also been told to keep the protocol department away. "We will handle the arrival and departure ceremony of our president," the US security agency is learnt to have told the state government.

Ashok Pandit in Hyderabad

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