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| Christy Fernandes |
AFTER top business honchos criticized organizers of the ongoing Auto Expo in Delhi for free distribution of business-day passes and converting this serious business event into a “Kumbh Mela”, organizers including CII, SIAM and Auto Components Manufacturers Association gave full-page newspaper advertisements to counter those claims. And the advertisement featured among others the comments from Dr Christy Fernandes, a 1973 batch IAS and secretary to President of India. This is what Fernandes said, as displayed in the advertisement: “It was a great experience! My wife and I enjoyed the glimpse of some of the most beautiful machines. Congratulations to CII, SIAM and other sponsors who organized this wonderful show. Keep it up”. The claim of the organizers was that the Auto Expo was the king of all trade shows just like Kumbh mela is the king of all fairs.
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| A Machine in Expo |
On Saturday, newspapers carried reports on how Mahindra and Mahindra CEO Anand Mahindra called it a Kumbh Mela after he was jostled and pushed around by the crowd.
The auto show, which saw participation from 1,500 exhibitors of 24 nations, was meant to be a serious business affair for the first two days but as CEOs said a large number of free passes were issued which turned it into a “general picnic”.
This biennial event saw unveiling of 24 cars by domestic companies and eight by global players in addition to eight new two-wheelers.
Mr Fernandes' comments that appeared as a part of full-page advertisement in newspapers on Sunday, January 8, got dropped in the second version of the ad that has appeared on Tuesday. The new version, however, has comments from Ms Sudha Pillai, 1972 batch IAS and Member Secretary, Planning Commission. Ms Pillai says (as in the ad): "Very exciting and exhilarating visit, saw the best of engineering wizardry. Deeply impressed"
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