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Priests Perform Purification Rituals After Bush Visits
By: Salim Jordan
When President Bush visits a country, he often evokes many different kinds of reactions and as a result security is a big issue. During last week’s tour of India and Pakistan, security was especially tight, because the trip took him physically close to Osama bin Ladin than he has ever been. To conceal its profile, Air Force One flew without lights through the night and once on the ground, two helicopters and a motorcade rushed him everywhere that he and the first lady needed to go.
During his recent tour in the Middle East, Bush was often met by anti-American protesters, but when he visited the memorial of Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi, it wasn’t the President that caused the stir. It was his dogs, or rather the dogs used by the secret service to sniff out bombs or other threats to the president.
Hindu priests that take care of the memorial conducted a purification ceremony at the shrine after the President’s visit. The site where Gandhi was cremated is considered sacred in India and President Bush and the First Lady followed the local customs and respectfully removed their shoes before entering the shrine to pay homage to the pacifist. Caretakers weren’t offended at the Bushs' behavior, but were outraged at the security dogs that were brought in to scour the area before the President could enter.
Gandhi’s great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, joined in with Hindu politicians in denouncing the presence of the dogs, calling it a national shame. The dogs were flown in from the US in anticipation of the presidents three day visit in the country.
After the President left, the memorial was cleansed with water brought from the Ganges River, which Hindus consider holy, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported Sunday.
This article was posted on March 13, 2006
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