Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial with President Obama on Tuesday.
President Obama walks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India during a surprise visit to the MLK Memorial.
The two leaders visited the memorial after holding bilateral talks at the White House.
Obama and Indian leader Modi gaze up at the MLK Memorial
Obama showed Modi around the memorial as part of the Indian prime minister's first visit to the U.S.
Ahem! Not a @dcra licensed tour guide. RT @agreilingkeane: Obama shows Modi MLK Memorial on a beautiful fall DC day.
Until recently, Modi was denied a U.S. visa for his failure to stop the 2002 religious riots in the state of Gujarat in which more than 1,200 people, mostly Muslims, died.
As PM @narendramodi and Prez @BarackObama pay homage to Rev Martin Luther King C 1959 photo presented by PM to Prez
People on Twitter had several things to say about Modi and Obama's surprise visit to the MLK memorial.
Some believed that Obama playing Modi's tour guide was unprecedented.
President Obama as Modi's tour guide at MLK Memorial. Unprecedented! Really impressed. Natural allies & a return to Bush-Manmohan bonhomie?
Others observed how the two leaders were chatting at the memorial without an interpreter.
Obviously without breaking any bread,Modi has broken more than Ice with Obama!Both at MLk memorial!Unescorted & without an interpreter!
Some expressed their disdain about Modi — who headed the state of Gujarat during its deadly riots — visiting the civil rights leader's memorial.
MLK is rolling in his grave right now | #Obama gives #Modi a tour of the Martin Luther King memorial #ModiMeetsObama
A few suggested that the surprise visit showed Obama's confidence in the Secret Service's abilities to protect him.
Obama adds MLK memorial visit to Modi schedule today -- added benefit of tacitly expressing confidence in USSS protection...
But mostly people were just concerned about the traffic.
And that explains the complete traffic standstill. “@markknoller: Pres Obama & PM Modi now visiting MLK Jr Memorial on the National Mall.”
That would explain the traffic MT "@dougmillsnyt: President walks with PM Modi during visit to the MLK Memorial. "
17th Street closed to traffic by Pennsylvania Avenue as POTUS & PM #Modi visit MLK Jr. Memorial. #India