Soni drops her US visit, waits for PM to explain

NEW DELHI: Tourism and Culture Minister Amibika Soni, who has come under pressure ever since the government fiasco in the Supreme Court on the Ram Setu issue, has cancelled her four-day visit to New York starting September 23.

Soni has cancelled her programme of attending the IncredibleIndia@60 festival in New York as she has not been able to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is recuperating from his prostate gland surgery.

"Since Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ambika Soni, has not yet been able to meet the Prime Minister (as he is indisposed following his return from hospital), she has decided not to go to New York for the IncredibleIndia@60 festival being held from September 23 to 26," an official release said.
   
"She has asked Secretary (Tourism), Sheelbhadra Banerjee to represent the Ministry of Tourism at the event," it added.
   
Soni came under attack first from her ministerial colleague Jairam Ramesh and later senior Congress leader R K Dhawan on the ASI's affidavit in the apex court on the Ram Setu issue and suggested she step down.
   
The minister had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and explained her case and is awaiting an appointment with the Prime Minister.
   
The four-day celebrations -- IncredibleIndia@60 - which would showcase India's economic dynamism, cultural diversity and vibrancy in New York to coincide with 60th anniversary of Independence, had been high on Soni's agenda.