Jeet Dholakia, Ahmedabad : US President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sabarmati Ashram here today and paid their obeisance to Mahatma Gandhi and garlanded his portrait with khadi yarns. Narendra Modi gave warm welcome to the President Trump with traditional scarf. Donald Trump signed the visitors’ book and wrote, “To my great friend Prime Minister Modi – Thank you for this wonderful visit.”

Narendra Modi briefed Trump about the significance of Sabarmati Ashram. He presented a replica of three monkeys, presented by Buddhist monks of Japan to Mahatma Gandhi at Wardha Ashram in 1933. Sabarmati Ashram’s Trustee Kartikeya Sarabhai had welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A copy of Mahatma Gandhi’s Autobiography and a replica of ‘Charkha’ spinning wheel were presented to Donald Trump on behalf of the Ashram. The Trump tried his hand spinning yarn at a Charkha. The Ashram-run Vinay Mandir Middle School girls sang Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite songs ‘Vashnav Jana-to…’ and ‘Raghupati Raghav…’ befitting the occasion. Others dignitaries like US President’s daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, Gujarat’s Secretary Mamata Verma, District Collector K.K. Nirala, Trustees and inmates of the Ashram were present in the Ashram.