This is a special occasion wherein two big world leaders -US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi-- will share stage within the span of just five months once again, says Rahul Walia, a resident of New Jersey who arrived here on Sunday to attend the 'Namaste Trump' event.
Upon his arrival in the Gujarati city on Monday afternoon, the US President will participate in a roadshow along with Prime Minister Modi and will then address a mammoth crowd of more than 100,000 people during the 'Namaste Trump' event at Motera Stadium.
The event is based on the lines of the 'Howdy Modi' function that was addressed by the Prime Minister and Trump in Houston in September last year.
"We want to experience the Namaste Trump event. We were also a part of the Howdy Modi event. We want to see how this programme is different from the previous one. The Howdy Modi event attracted around 50,000- 60,000 people mostly Indian Americans. But more people are expected here," Walia told ANI here today.
"And this is a special occasion whereby two big world leaders are coming together on the same platform within the span of five months. This occasion is not bound by fixing any particular policy but to address the people. They are coming within the masses, to the people, for the people once more straight from Houston to Ahmedabad. We are here to witness the historic moment" he added.
Walia, who has been residing in the USA since 1997, says especially after Prime Minister Modi assumed power "Indian Americans have started contributing more in America and that is gradually garnering appreciation." "He has made our profile very high and we are able to flex that. Thanks to what Modi ji is doing in the international arena," he said.
Meanwhile, reiterating the same, Jay Kansara from Washington noted that the 'Namaste Trump' event is aimed at increasing people to people ties between the two democracies apart from strengthening bilateral ties.
"I am here to experience the program which is not only for the sake of organising a program, instead it looks forward to increasing people to people ties between the two democracies apart from strengthening bilateral ties," he stressed.
Jay, who was also present at the Howdy Modi last year, said, "I feel the excitement is much more in India."
"I would seriously like to put my hats off to the organisers of the programme. They have put forward a fantastic job within such a short period of time," he added.
Jay further noted that the Indian Americans in the US are now seen "as just Americans which I think it is the biggest contribution of programmes such as Howdy Modi and Namaste Trump."
"Indians feel they are part of the American society and 'Indian-ness' is a part of them in America," he said.
The US President will be on a 36-hours trip to India from February 24-25. Within a very packed schedule, the visiting dignitary will address people at Motera Stadium, visit Taj Mahal in Agra and then arrive in Delhi to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as well as attend delegation level talks over defence and trade.
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