'You are too popular,' Biden tells Modi as he asks him for autograph

The large enthusiastic crowds Prime Minister Narendra Modi manages to attract on his international tours has led world leaders like US president Joe Biden to tease the Indian PM about it.

During the recent Quad meeting in Japan, a smiling US president Joe Biden walked up to Modi and jokingly asked him for his autograph. Not ostensibly because he is a big personal fan of the Indian leader but it turns out that Biden has been inundated with requests from prominent citizens to attend the Modi’s programmes during his next month state visit to Washington DC.

Echoing a similar view, Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese also chipped in that he too was finding it difficult to accommodate all the requests to attend a community event, where Modi will speak on Tuesday (May 23). The Sydney venue reportedly has a capacity of 20,000, officials told the media on Sunday (May 21).

More than 90,000 people had welcomed him during the victory lap at the Narendra Modi stadium, Albanese recalled. Modi and Albanese were in the Gujarat stadium to watch an India-Australia test match in March this year and had taken a lap of honour.

Also read: PM Modi greets US President Biden with tight hug at G7 Summit in Japan

The US president told Modi, when he met him at the Quad summit that the Indian PM was causing him a real problem. According to sources, said media reports, Biden said that next month they have a dinner (during PM Modi’s visit to the US in June) for Modi in Washington.

“Everyone in the whole country wants to come. I have run out of tickets. You think I am kidding? Ask my team. I am getting phone calls from people I have never heard of before. Everyone from movie actors to relatives. You are too popular,” he is believed to have said.

Then he went on to ask him a jocular note that he should take his autograph.

As part of his ongoing three-nation visit, Modi is scheduled to arrive in Australia on Monday (May 22) and will address the community event on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)