US Embassy Initiative and Driver Perspectives

Today on State of the World. Rickshaw's in India celebrating America's birthday. Listening to State of the world for men bring you the today's most vital international stories up close where they're housed I'm Greg Dicks In the United States, a long holiday weekend over the fourth of July celebrates America's two hundred fiftieth birthday Recently, NPR correspondent in India Dia Hideid found an unlikely place that same birthday is being marked on the back of Rickshaw's in New Delhi Those are the ubiquitous three wheel taxis in that part of the world. a motorbike, but with a backseat for two people Right now, some rickshaws in New Delhi are sporting happappy birthday America signs, some with President Donald Trump's face It takes us to New Delhi to investigate I'm standing on a road near the New Delhi railway station and Rickshaorews are whizzing by. It's a popular way to get around this city. They also have big sort of square backs and so they're often used as advertising space. So one Rickshaw has just gone by and it has an advertisement for fertility treatments. Another one is advertising quick loans for a hundred thousand dollars in just twenty four hours. And in the past few days, you can see rickshaws around New Delhi that are emblazoned with happy birthday America They also say, two hundred and fifty years old. some are accompanied by an image of the Statue of Liberty. Others have a portrait of President Donald Trump. There's one with Trump's face on Vinard Mata's rickshaw. Mata says a marketing agent gave him a packet of teaabags as an incentive to put the sign on his rickshaw He tells NPR producer Omkar Kande Kar, I don't speak English, but I think it's about Donald Trump's birthday. No, no, no, he corrects himself. The number is two hundred fifty. It must be America's birthday. America Dka S A Matoa says, America seems like a nice country with good people. But he also links America to the Mid East Wall, which has pushed up the price of gas. He says That's pushed up the price of everything else, milk, his kids school fees, the rent. He says, It's really difficult for a poor person like me to survive.. Mata says Trump could end this war in a minute if he wants Down the road, Santos Chohan also has a happy birthday America sign with President Trump's face on his rickual. power Chohan calls Trump a king. Arogant, Tansactional Chohan says, thoseose aren't bad things. He says If a man like Trump ruled India We wouldn't get rolled by Pakistan all the time, That's India's bitter rival. Chohan too is a bit transactional. He agreed to have the happappy Birthday America poster because the marketing guys installed it in a way that made a new roof cover for his rickshual That helps protect Chohan against the blazing heat. It's one hundred and eleven degrees as we speak. He says If I had to pay for a new roof cover, it'd be a bit expensive, like fifteen dollars. These happappy Birthday America Rickshaw posters are an initiative financed by the American emmbassy New Delhi. They call it The Freedom Fleet. We were at the emmbassy recently where a rather Trump friendly playlist blasted over the loudspeakers We ran into the deputy spokesman, John Brown and asked him about the happappy Birthday America Rigshas. This was a chance for us to get the word out and tell the people of India how excited we are about our nation's birthday. And I asked Brown why the advertisements had a picture of the president, not just symbols of America. He's our president We're very proud of him, so it's a mix, right? You'll see some have President Trump, some have the Statue of Liberty. Back on those baking deli roads, Rick or driver Penet Sing also has a happappy Birthday America sign. His features the Statue of Liberty. We like it. He says, It's cool to be associated with a strong country like America, even if it's just through a sign. He says he's got a message. Happy Birthday for America and very best for all things The very best, dear Deed MPR News, New Delhi That's the state of the world from NPR Happy Fourth of July and thanks for listening