When Rahm came calling

US President Barack Obama’s key aide and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s vacation in India had its official overtones. Not only did he have some important meetings,the Prime Minister’s media advisor,Harish Khare,is said to have worn the diplomat’s hat and hosted him for a trip to Old Delhi,showing him around the “spice streets”. Incidentally,the first leg of his trip,in the third week of December,clashed with the King of Bhutan’s state visit,and the two happened to be staying in the same hotel. The hotel staff was clear that no other guest’s bodyguards could be allowed inside the premises with weapons when a head of state was residing in the hotel. This created a fair amount of confusion with the hotel ultimately making an exception only when the local police stood guarantee.