Ahmedabad,
Sept 13: “Welcome to India, welcome to Gujarat” — in English, Gujarati and
Japanese Hiragana script, are displayed across western India's traders'
paradise setting the stage for according a grand reception to Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe. At places there are also large hoardings with life size
cut-out of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Mr
Abe with slogan 'Synergy of Peace and Prosperity'. PM Modi would accompany
Japanese Prime Minister Abe for a rare road show - 8 km drive in an open-top
limousine. This is being linked to ensuing Gujarat Assembly elections as well
as both BJP and Prime Minister Modi having high stakes in this year's polls.
The eight-km-long road show would start from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Airport and culminate at the Sabarmati Ashram, the 'karmabhoomi' of Mahatma
Gandhi. "This is for the first time in the country when our Prime Minister
will take part in a roadshow with Prime Minister of another country," BJP
state unit president Jitubhai Vaghani said. Mr Abe is slated to visit Siddi
Sayyaid ki Jaali, an excellent model of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The
intricately carved stone window is part of a great attraction in the
500-year-old Siddi Saiyad Mosque situated near Lal Darwaja built by the
erstwhile Sultanate of Gujarat. A local cleric Mohammed Iqbal said, "We
are glad both Prime Ministers of India and Japan are visiting the
Mosque.However, due to security reasons, there will be some restrictions in the
number of Namazis (even devotees)". Tomorrow, on September 14, the
visiting dignitary will join Prime Minister Modi to lay the foundation stone
for the 508-km long Mumbai-Ahmadabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR). To make the
occasion more befitting, PM Modi is hosting dinner at a roof-top restaurant
House of Mangaldas Girdhardas, a boutique heritage hotel, here. Both the
leaders would also take part on a walk on a more than 100-year-old bridge on
the Sabarmati. The visit of Japanese PM is also likely going to strengthen
strategic partnership in the neighbourhood in terms of joint development of
projects. This move is also seen in diplomatic circle as a more pronounced
articulation of India's growing influence in South Asia. UNI
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