By Minu Jain, IANS,
Paris : Others may have wilted but not India’s 77-year-old Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who valiantly stood next to French President Nicolas Sarkozy through much of the two-hour Bastille Day parade and then after it was over decided to abandon his carcade to walk to his hotel.
After the rains of the previous week, Paris was warm as it celebrated its National Day Tuesday and many people lined up on either side of the Champs Elysees were seen looking for shade and a place to rest their legs. Manmohan Singh, however, seemed quite unaffected by the heat and the length of the ceremony.
After it wound to a close, he abandoned all formality and simply walked across the vast Place de la Concorde square to the Hotel de Crillon.
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Security, what’s that?
A cyclist arguing with security personnel on the main boulevard where the National Day parade has just gotten over and all the dignitaries are yet to leave. Then actually winning the argument to get back on her cycle and go her way! Now that’s something we are unlikely to see at a Republic Day parade in India.
Much to the amusement of journalists, particularly those from India used to stringent security details, the young girl who appeared to have just randomly cycled her way into the main route of the parade got into an argument with the cops. People cheered and clapped while the negotiations went on, rooting for the girl in black.
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Whither Carla?
She’s the First Lady of France, much written about, much discussed and a clear star. But many of the Indian journalists who accompanied Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his fleeting trip to Paris didn’t get to catch even a glimpse of Carla Bruni.
The audio visual media got pride of place at the Champs Elysees but the print media enclosure was way down the boulevard.
Many could be seen calling up their offices to pick up the details from good old Doordarshan.