New Delhi: First time US President Chief Guest Barack Obama watched the Republic Day parade Sunday from a VVIP enclosure that was protected from bullets but not rain.
Umbrellas were available to only cover President Pranab Mukherjee, President Obama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others seated in a special glass enclosure.
As soon as he arrived in his vehicle known as The Beast, breaking Republic Day protocol, President Obama’s aides helped him into an overcoat, and then he walked to the VVIP enclosure, holding an umbrella.
When the dignitaries were seated, security personnel and aides took over the job of holding umbrellas over PM Modi and President Obama, while First Lady Michelle Obama held her own umbrella for some time.
President Pranab Mukherjee, seen in a fur cap, was under a special canopy.
The Defence Ministry, which organizes the annual parade, was criticized for not being rain-ready and organizing proper cover for the VVIP enclosure or for the rest of the crowd.
Officials say the VVIP enclosure is usually not under a shelter so that the guests can have an uninterrupted view of the fly-past.
A steady drizzle continued for much of the morning as marching contingent and tableau moved down Rajpath, the wide avenue where the parade takes place.
The dignitaries were luckier than some 1.25 lakh people at Rajpath, who had no choice but to sit in the rain since heavy security meant they were not allowed to get umbrellas despite the advance weather alert.