Ahmedabad: India and the US are committed to defend their people from radical islamic terrorism, resolved to significantly expand defence ties and are working on a “fantastic” trade deal, said US President Donald Trump on Monday while asserting that his country “loves” and is “loyal” to India.

Addressing a huge crowd at ‘Namaste Trump’ event at the Motera stadium here, the US president, accompanied by his wife Melania and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talked about India’s great tradition of embracing individual freedom, rule of law, dignity of every human being and where people worship side-by-side in harmony.

On his maiden visit, Trump, who was welcomed by Modi on his arrival here, said his country will remain a “loyal” friend of India and called the Prime Minister an “exceptional leader” who works day and night for the country.

“India and the US are committed to fight terrorists and their ideology; that is why my government is working with Pakistan to crack down on terror groups,” Trump said in the presence of his family –daughter Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner– and top brass of his administration.

“The US will always be faithful and loyal friend of India. Thank you for the spectacular welcome,” he added.

He also announced that the two countries will firm up defence deals worth USD 3 billion on Tuesday and that the US will become India’s premier defence partner.

“India and US have natural and enduring friendship,” Trump said to a cheering crowd.

“We are quickly revitalising our alliances all around world,” he said.

Trump said both countries are working on a “fantastic trade” deal, and observed that Modi is a “tough negotiator”.

The US president also heaped praises on Modi, saying the Prime Minister is a “living proof” of what an Indian can achieve with hard work as Trump referred to his humble background as a tea-seller, who had a landslide win in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

On his part, Modi welcomed Trump to “world’s largest democracy” and said a “new history” was being created.

Modi also praised Trump’s leadership in containing terrorism.

Trump said as the world’s largest economy, India gives hope to all humanity and has become an economic giant.

“There is a difference between a nation that rises by coercion and one that rises by setting its people free — that is India. India and the US have natural and enduring friendship,” he said.

He also touched on India’s cultural diversity and riches as he highlighted the success of its blockbuster movies like DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge) and Sholay, and its sporting icons like Sachin Tedulkar and Virat Kohli.

He highlighted the boom in the US economy under his presidency and added that India will soon be home to the biggest middle class as it will eliminate extreme poverty in in next 10 years.

On his part, Modi said ties between India and the US are no longer just another partnership but have touched far greater heights.

Welcoming Trump, he said a “new history” is being created.

Visit of President Trump to India with his family shows strong ties between India and the US, said Modi.

Over 100,000 Pack Stadium In India For Trump Visit

Ahmedabad: Over a lakh people gathered at the newly built cricket stadium in Motera area on Monday to witness US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the gathering at the Namaste Trump event.

Though Trump’s address was scheduled to start after 1.30 pm, people from across the state started arriving at the stadium, touted as the world’s biggest, since 8 am.

There was a continuous stream of people walking towards the stadium since morning as parking areas for vehicles were away from the stadium.

While many of the attendees were transported to the venue in buses, some were from the city and were eager to see both the leaders.

Many in the stadium were seen wearing masks with images of Modi and Trump printed on them.

For security reasons, each invitee was given a personal invitation and police conducted their background checks.

Bollywood singer Kailash Kher and local Gujarati singers entertained the audience for a couple of hours before Trump and Modi reached the stadium, which has the capacity to accommodate 1.10 lakh people, the highest for any cricket stadium in the world.

Gujarati singers like Kirtidan Gadhvi, Geeta Rabari and Kinjal Dave also entertained the audience for over two hours.

The invited guests also included Non Resident Indians and businessmen. For security reasons, no one was allowed to carry any banner or flag inside the stadium.

Though the audience was enthusiastic to see and hear both the leaders, sweltering heat forced some of them to leave even before Trump ended his speech, as the guests were sitting in the open stadium since morning.

The stadium, owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association, has been rebuilt after demolishing the old one, which was built in 1982 and had a seating capacity of 49,000.

The entire stadium complex is spread across over 64 acres and has a club house and an Olympic-size swimming pool.

The construction of the new stadium got completed in two years with an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore.

Celebrates ‘genius’ of Bollywood, remembers ‘DDLJ’ and ‘Sholay’

Ahmedabad: US President Donald Trump on Monday reached out to Indians by hailing the “genius” of the Hindi film industry and recalling two all-time favourites, “Sholay” and “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (DDLJ). Addressing the ‘Namaste Trump’ event at the Motera Stadium here, the US president said people “take great joy” in watching Bollywood films and understanding Indian culture through them.

“This is the country that produces nearly 2,000 movies a year from the hub of genius and creativity known as Bollywood,” he told the gathering of about 100,000 people packed into the stadium.

“All over the planet people take great joy in scenes of bhangra, music and dance, romance and drama, and classic Indian films like ‘DDLJ’ and ‘Sholay’,” Trump said.

While the 1975 multi-starrer “Sholay”, labelled a “curry western” by many, is an action-adventure film that has stood the test of the decades, the 1995 Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol-led “DDLJ” is an out and out romance.

This is not the first effort by the US president to use popular culture to strike a chord with movie loving Indians.

Ahead of his maiden visit to India, Trump shared a video in which his face was superimposed on the hit movie-character Baahubali.

“Look so forward to being with my great friends in INDIA!” Trump tweeted on Saturday alongside the 81-second clip.

Before that, Trump praised Ayushmann Khurrana’s latest release “Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan”.

On a tweet complimenting the movie for celebrating a same-sex love story on the celluloid, Trump last week commented “great”.

Former US president Barack Obama also referenced “DDLJ” during his 2015 visit to India when he quoted Shah Rukh’s famous dialogue from the iconic film.

“Last celebration here we celebrated festival of lights in Mumbai. We danced with some children. Unfortunately, we were not able to schedule any dancing in this visit. ‘Senorita, bade bade desho mein’… You know what I mean,” Obama said while addressing a town hall event in Delhi.

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed US President Donald Trump’s visit to India as a “new chapter” in the historic Indo-US relations, adding their ties is no longer just another partnership but a far greater and closer relationship.

Welcoming the President at the ‘Namaste Trump’ event at the new-look Motera stadium shortly after his arrival on the first leg of his two-day trip, Modi said a “new history” is being created and asserted that foundations of new alignments, challenges, opportunities and changes are being laid.

“India and the US relations and cooperation will play an important role in deciding the course of world in the 21st century. I am of the categorical view that India and the US are natural partners,” he told an estimated one lakh-strong audience who broke into cheers frequently.

Underscoring the strong ties between the two nations, Modi said the US is now India’s largest trading partner and the Indian military is involved in its biggest war exercise with the US.

Trump’s visit to India at the turn of the new decade is a big opportunity, he said.

The Indo-US ties are no longer just another partnership but have touched far greater heights, and the Trump’s trip with his family shows this, Modi said.

“Welcome to world’s biggest democracy,” the prime minister said.

Modi said President Trump’s visit is a new chapter in the relations between India and America. “A chapter that will become a new document of progress and prosperity of the people of America and India,” he added.

There is so much that the two countries share, Modi said.

He said the two countries also share spirit of enterprise and innovation, shared opportunities and challenges and shared hopes and aspirations.

Modi also appreciated Trump administration’s efforts in the field of health.

The biggest strength between two people or nations is trust, Modi said while quoting an old adage that “friendship is where trust is unshakable”.

In the last few years, trust between the US and India has strengthened further and has reached historic levels.

“What you have done for healthy and happy America is getting good results. What you are doing for children in society is admirable,” Modi said.

Modi said today 130 crore Indians are jointly building a ‘new India’.

“Our youth power is full of aspirations. Setting big goals, achieving them is becoming the hallmark of new India today,” he said.

Modi noted that India not only has a the world record of sending the maximum number of satellites simultaneously, but also is making the world record by doing the fastest financial inclusion.

“Today the country with which India has the most extensive research and development partnership is America,” he said.

Srinagar: Security has been increased across Kashmir as a precautionary measure in view of US President Donald Trump’s two-day visit to India, which began on Monday, officials said.

“In view of the incidents that have taken place in Kashmir ahead of high profile visits to the country, security has been strengthened in the Valley,” a senior police officer said. In March 2000, Lashkar-e-Taiba militants killed 35 Sikhs in Chatisinghpora village in Anantnag district during the visit of former US president Bill Clinton to India.

The official said additional personnel from the police and paramilitary forces have been deployed here and elsewhere in the Kashmir Valley to ensure that militants are not able to carry out any attacks.

Surveillance and area domination exercises have been intensified in some areas, he said.

Mobile vehicle check points have been set up at several places for curbing the movement of people who provide logistical support to militants, the official said.

He said security arrangements have been beefed up as a precautionary measure.

The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has appealed to the community members to maintain vigil.

“The visit of a high profile foreign personality, especially that from the US, leads to fear psychosis and panic among the Sikhs living in the Kashmir Valley. The Sikhs are feeling insecure and they fear that something untoward might happen,” APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement on Saturday, while referring to the 2000 incident.

New Delhi: A head constable was among four people killed and at least 50 others, including several paramilitary and Delhi Police personnel, were injured as violence spiralled over the amended citizenship law in northeast Delhi, turning it into a battlefield on Monday with frenzied protesters torching houses, shops, vehicles and a petrol pump, and hurling stones.

This is the second day of clashes in the city where US President Donald Trump arrived on Monday evening on the main leg of his India visit.

Police fired tear gas shells and also resorted to lathicharge as clashes broke out between pro and anti CAA groups at Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Chandbagh, Khureji Khas and Bhajanpura. Security personnel conducted flag marches and prohibitory orders were clamped to bring the situation under control.

However, sporadic clashes continued late into the night in Maujpur and other areas.

Ratan Lal (42), a head constable attached to the office of the ACP Gokalpuri, died after he sustained injuries during stone pelting at Gokalpuri.

Three other civilian succumbed to injuries in the clashes, a Delhi government official said, adding 50 people with injuries had come to hospital for treatment.

At least 11 police personnel, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahdara, Amit Sharma and ACP (Gokalpuri) Anuj Kumar were injured while trying to quell the protests. Two CRPF police personnel were also injured, sources said.

Government sources said the violence in the national capital appears to have been “orchestrated” by some for publicity as it comes at a time when Trump is visiting the country. They said Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik was stationed at the police control room and closely monitoring the situation.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla told reporters the situation in the national capital was fully under control and sufficient forces were deployed on the ground. Officials said at least eight companies (100 personnel each) of central armed police were present on the ground, besides the Delhi Police.

However, Delhi minister and Babarpur MLA Gopal Rai tweeted that rioting was continuing at night in his constituency.

“There is an atmosphere of terror in Babarpur, rioters are roaming and setting fire but there is no police force. I am calling the police commissioner Amulya Patnaik but he is not receiving his call. I urge Delhi LG and Home Minister to immediately deploy police force,” Sisodia tweeted at around 10 pm.

Delhi government ordered closure of all private and government schools in Northeast Delhi district will remain closed on Tuesday in the wake of the violence.

The violence-affected areas witnessed several rounds of stone-pelting from pro and anti-CAA protestors. The roads were strewn with bricks, stones and glass shards.

In Maujpur, pro and anti-CAA protesters indulged in stone pelting and at least three vehicles were torched. Even closed shops were vandalised. At least one house was set on fire and plumes of smoke bellowed from the balcony.

A protestor fired multiple rounds in air as a policeman was seen trying to stop him. The man is yet to be identified.

Pro-CAA protestors were also seen gheraoing and assaulting a man at Maujpur. Blood was oozing from his head, while some of the attackers raised provocative slogans.

A petrol pump and two school buses were torched at Bhajanpura-Yamuna Vihar border during the rampage by the protestors.

Police chased and hit at least four young men with batons near a footbridge on one side of the road, where dozens of personnel were deployed in anti-riot gear, a PTI reporter witnessed.

At least half a dozen youths were also picked up in a truck by the police.

Another identified man was chased down and assaulted as he ran to escape the mob on an intersection under the Gokulpuri flyover at around 6.30 pm.

Police have imposed section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, in areas affected by violence in northeast Delhi.

Vehicular traffic remained restricted on road number 59, which leads to Bhajanpura on one side and Ghaziabad via Gokulpuri flyover on the other side, causing inconvenience to commuters and locals, including students.

At Gokalpuri, protestors resorted to stone pelting in which Head Constable Ratan Lal was killed.

At Bhajanpura Chowk, a fire tender was damaged by the protesters after it responded to an emergency call in the area.

There were many who were caught in the crossfire.

“I don’t know how are we going to go back home now,” a woman hawker, standing along with a fellow hawker at C Block Yamuna Vihar bus stand, wondered as they waited for a DTC bus.

A 20-year-old man carrying a helmet said he had to leave his motorcycle in Gokulpuri as he tried to make his way to Mustafabad but was stuck at barricades put by the police.

“My sister works there and she is calling me repeatedly, asking me to come and take her home in this situation. I am unable to find a way to reach her,” the man, visibly worried, told PTI.

A family from Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh which had come to Rohini for a member’s treatment was also left stranded.

“Five of us, including two women, had come here in the morning. Rest four are still at the hospital in Rohini and I had come here for some work. Now I am waiting for the violence to end so that I can go pick them up and we all can return home,” a man, who identified himself as Abhishek Thakur, said as he sat on a pavement with his hatchback parked near Dayalpur police station.

Violence had occurred on Sunday also over the amended citizenship law near Jaffrabad over blocking of the road by anti-CAA protesters , while similar sit-ins were launched in several other parts of the national capital including Hauz Rani.

The situation had escalated after BJP leader Kapil Mishra called a gathering on Sunday. Mishra demanded that police remove the anti-CAA protestors within three days.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Centre to restore law and order in the national capital. Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said he has instructed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to ensure the situation is brought under control.

“Very distressing news regarding disturbance of peace and harmony in parts of Delhi coming in. I sincerely urge Hon’ble LG n Hon’ble Union Home Minister to restore law and order n ensure that peace and harmony is maintained. Nobody should be allowed to orchestrate flagrations (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.

In a tweet, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said all internal exams scheduled for Tuesday in schools in northeast Delhi will not be held and he will speak to Union HRD Minister R P Nishank on the issue of postponing the Board exam in this district.

Taking to Twitter, Baijal said, “Instructed @DelhiPolice and @CPDelhi to ensure that law and order is maintained in North East Delhi. The situation is being closely monitored. I urge everyone to exercise restraint for maintenance of peace and harmony.”

Congress president Sonia Gandhi appealed to the people of Delhi to maintain communal harmony and defeat “ill-intentioned” forces that seek to divide the country on the basis of religion.

Expressing deep condolences over the death of head constable Rattan Lal, Gandhi also expressed solidarity with his family.

“There can be no space for violence in the land of Mahatma Gandhi, nor can there be any place in the country for forces that seek to impose their communal and divisive ideology on the people,” the Congress leader said in a statement.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the violence in Delhi and urged people to show restraint, compassion and understanding irrespective of the provocation.

He said peaceful protests are a sign of a healthy democracy, but violence can never be justified.

“The violence today in Delhi is disturbing and must be unequivocally condemned. Peaceful protests are a sign of a healthy democracy, but violence can never be justified. I urge the citizens of Delhi to show restraint, compassion and understanding no matter what the provocation,” Gandhi tweeted.

BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said the death of a Delhi Police head constable was a “ploy” to embarrass India during Trump’s visit and likened it to the massacre of Sikhs in Chattisinghpura in 2000 during the then US president Bill Clinton’s trip to the country.

“Shocked to hear the death of HC Sh Ratanlal in a brutal & barbaric manner. This reminds me of massacre of Sikhs in Chattisinghpura during Clinton’s visit. Incidents change but anti India forces remain the same. Ploy to embarrass India, Request all to remain calm & maintain peace,” she said in a tweet.

The Delhi Metro has closed entry and exit at the Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Shiv Vihar, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave stations as violence prevailed in the area. The entry and exit of Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk and Udyog Bhawan were shut for nearly an hour.

Srinagar: Army Chief General MM Naravane will visit Kashmir to review the ongoing security situation and counter-militancy operations in Kashmir Valley.

During the visit starting from Tuesday, General Naravane will also visit the Indian Army positions on the LoC and he would be briefed by senior military commanders on the overall situation in the Kashmir valley.

Earlier on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh had said that Pakistan has increased ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC). He said that Indian forces have been successful in foiling the infiltration bids from across the border.

“Ceasefire violations from Pakistan side have increased, however, we have been successful in foiling their infiltration bids. Still, some succeed in their infiltration attempt. These militants are neutralised during operations,” Singh told media in Kathua.