U.S. to liberalise adoption laws

By Malabika Bhattacharya

KOLKATA, APRIL 7. ``They (wife Hillary and daughter Chelsea) said I must visit the Mother's Home in Kolkata. I am glad I came here,'' the former U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, said as he landed in the City today.

They urged him to visit Kolkata to pay homage to Mother Teresa and that was primarily the reason why he was here, he said.

Mr. Clinton, who landed here at 9.30 a.m., headed straight for the Mother House (in Central Kolkata) which also houses her tomb.

Sister Nirmala, the Superior General of Mother's Order, the Missionaries of Charity (MOC), along with the nuns, welcomed the former President at the mouth of the alley that led to the MOC headquarters.

The moment the former president walked into the narrow lane leading to the Mother House, securitymen cordoned off the House and its surrounding areas. Mediapersons stood on the road watching Mr. Clinton. The disappointed media which was not allowed inside the House urged Mr. Clinton to pose for a photo session and he agreed.

Mr. Clinton spent about an hour inside the House where he lit the candles and placed a bouquet of gladiola on the Mother's tomb. He sang with the sisters the hymn, Make me a channel of your peace, written by St. Francis Assisi.

He spoke about several problems that today's world faced, especially poverty and AIDS.

``Mr. Clinton is a very good man. He wants to do good to the people,'' Sister Nirmala later commented.

The sisters presented a portrait of Mr. Clinton and Mother Teresa. The Mother's ``Miracle Medallion'' and the Prayer Card were also presented to him.

Sister Nirmala recalled the meeting she had with Mr. Clinton in 1994 in Washington.

As the former President came out, the crowd which waited outside braving the sun, waved Indian and U.S. flags.

Mr. Clinton drove to the Shishu Bhawan, an MOC-run orphanage where he held discussions with Sister Monica, in-charge of the centre, on how he can collaborate with the MOC on adoption.

Once inside, he laughed with the 300-odd children, and shook hands with them. He accepted his portraits sketched by some of them. The children, some of whom are handicapped, welcomed Mr. Clinton with the song, Welcome You.

Later, he told mediapersons that the U.S. was trying to liberalise child adoption laws and would collaborate with the MOC in this regard.

At a press conference at Raj Bhavan, Mr. Clinton said the American India Foundation had made a tremendous contribution to strengthen Indo-U.S. relations.

Mr. Clinton met NGOs working for social and economic uplift of the poor. ``I am grateful to the NGOs of Kolkata for giving me specific ideas about implementation of projects in areas of education, economic development, culture and improvement in the quality of life in rural life,'' he said.

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