Day after receiving Ram Mandir replica from Modi, Macron visits Sufi saint's shrine

New Delhi: A day after his host Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted him a replica of the newly built and consecrated Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the mausoleum of the 13th century Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi on Friday.

Macron visited the mausoleum of Hazrat Nizamuddin before wrapping up his two-day tour to India. He had commenced his tour from Jaipur on Thursday and departed from Delhi late on Friday.

After Modi on Monday consecrated the newly built Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Macron was the first foreign leader to visit India. The prime minister joined the French president for a roadshow in Jaipur on Thursday and gifted him a replica of the Ram Mandir.

A day later, Macron made it a point to pay obeisance at the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi.

Paris also took up with New Delhi – both before and during the visit of Macron – the issue of the likely expulsion of French journalist Vanessa Dougnac.

The Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued a notice to Dougnac, asking her why her Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card would not be revoked for “violation” of visa rules. She was asked to respond by February 2. She may have to leave the country if the government revokes the OCI card issued to her.

Dougnac is married to an Indian and has been living in India for 22 years. She writes for two French media outlets.

“This matter is being dealt by the relevant department in the Government of India. And I think the key element in this to focus is the frame of reference in which we look at it. The frame of reference to look at is, the compliance with the rules and regulations of the country,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, while briefing media-persons in New Delhi on Friday. “I don't think this has got anything else to do with the other aspects of journalism, etc. People are free to do what they are accredited to do in a given space. But here, I think the principal issue is whether the person is compliant with the rules and regulations of the state, under which they come.”

The foreign secretary confirmed that Paris had taken up the issue with New Delhi before and during the visit of the French president. India conveyed its position to the French side.