Friday, November 5, 2010

A Passage to India: "Keeping Coconuts Off Obama"

From the WSJ's India Real Time blog:
After the drubbing the Democrats took in the mid-term Congressional elections, U.S. President Barack Obama might feel like there are a lot of things falling on his head this week.

At least a stray coconut won’t be one of them.

On Wednesday, all coconuts were removed from palm trees around Mani Bhavan, Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial house, which Mr. Obama plans to visit on Saturday during his India visit.
Museum officials, who ordered the coconuts to be taken out, say it was a routine operation.

“They were ripe and they were falling on the road, so we requested our local office to remove them; it was part of a regular clean-up,” says Meghshyam Ajgaonkar, the museum’s executive secretary. “We do it about twice a year.”

He acknowledged that Mr. Obama’s visit did affect the timing of the clean-up. In Delhi, municipal authorities are also taking special precautions, including clamping down on monkeys.

Mr. Ajgaonkar says coconuts are a threat for all of the hundreds of tourists who visit Mani Bhavan every day. “They keep falling, but up to now fortunately they haven’t fallen on anyone’s head,” he added. “But if they did, it will be very dangerous for any human being or animal, not just for the president.”  
See also IRT's:
What Will Michelle Obama Wear in India?
Seriously Folks, Does Obama Need These Clowns?
Who’s Who at Obama’s Mumbai Profitpalooza
What India Wants From Obama