For BJP Parliamentary Party chairman L.K. Advani, it was a pleasant surprise when Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi wished him on his birthday on Monday. Both the Congress leaders also had a 10-minute-long conversation over a cup of tea with Mr Advani in his chamber in Parliament.
After the address of US President Barack Obama ended, Ms Gandhi and the AICC general secretary were waiting for their vehicles when Mr Advani, whose chamber was nearby, invited both of them. Mr Advani was also coming out of the Central Hall to his room after Mr Obama’s speech.
The senior BJP leader offered them tea and the trio, it was learnt, discussed Mr Obama’s speech. It was then that the Congress leaders got to know that it was Mr Advani’s birthday on Monday and they wished Mr Advani.
Sources said Mr Advani appreciated that the US President, during his speech, spoke Hindi words, including “Jai Hind”, at the conclusion of his speech. He also lauded the references made by Mr Obama to Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda, B.R. Ambedkar and Rabindranath Tagore in his 35-minute-long speech.
***
East Asia detailed talks held
Age Correspondent
New Delhi
Nov. 8: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama had a detailed exchanged on East Asia — a euphemism for China and its not-so peaceful rise.
Briefing journalists after the talks, Dr Manmohan Singh said, “We have a shared vision of security, stability and prosperity in Asia based on an open and inclusive regional architecture.”
For his part, Mr Barack Obama said India and the US have agreed to deepen their consultations on East Asia and to expand their bilateral strategic dialogue to include global issues.
Later, addressing Parliament, Mr Obama said a vigorous engagement by India with Southeast and East Asian nations enhance “security and prosperity of all our nations”.
“Like your neighbours in Southeast Asia, we want India to not only look East, we want India to engage East,” Mr Obama noted.