Manmohan dinner crashers to host India polo match
June 12th, 2010 - 10:42 am ICT by IANS
By Arun Kumar
Washington, June 12 (IANS) The White House party crashers, who sauntered uninvited into President Barack Obama’s first state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, are hosting a polo match featuring India on the National Mall Saturday.
Last year’s “America’s Polo Cup” is still under investigation in Virginia, the Indian embassy has unceremoniously ended its association with this year’s event but Tareq and Michaele Salahi insist the polo match is legitimate.
“We want everyone to come down and see this incredible polo game which is so rare, we do it once a year,” a beaming Tareq Salahi told Fox 5 TV channel.
Construction is already underway at West Potomac Park for the Saturday event, which boasts an international polo match with India along with food, drinks and music.
“We will honour the south Asian Indian culture first, and then we have a surprise performance by a musical artist from that part of the world,” said Salahi.
Salahis are also dogged with controversy about sponsors of this year’s event. Their web site lists event sponsors but several have denied their status as a sponsor for the event, the channel said.
Roche Salon in Georgetown, where Michaele Salahi got her hair done before the Nov 24 White House dinner is a sponsor. But owner Dennis Roche said they are only slightly concerned about their client and her reputation.
“Well, to some degree yes, because there is guilt by association,” he said. “But on the other hand, I don’t have any issues with her. She’s always been nice to us. I don’t have any money issues or anything else with her.”
And he says Michaele Salahi told Roche that the event is for charity. But he does not know to which one. “I’m not sure right now because they’ve had so much controversy about it. They have been keeping it a bit quiet,” said Roche.
Salahi told FOX 5 that the money raised will go to benefit polo. The reason they failed to pay their vendors at the Virginia fundraising event last year is because many others failed to pay the Salahis for tickets or other promised donations, he said
As for the controversy about the sponsors this year, Tareq Salahi said, “The best thing I can say is they are actually going to be here tomorrow. So on Saturday, come and see for yourself.”
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
- Salahis have their day in the sun with India polo match - Jun 13, 2010
- White House gatecrasher to auction red sari - Aug 05, 2010
- Third gatecrasher calls himself planner, publisher, philanthropist - Jan 06, 2010
- Obamas to host second state dinner under 'heavy security' - May 17, 2010
- White House gatecrashers want to return to 'good old days' - Aug 17, 2010
- Indian Embassy cuts ties with couple who gatecrashed Obama dinner - Dec 03, 2009
- Indian Embassy cuts ties with gatecrashing couple (Lead) - Dec 03, 2009
- White House gatecrashers settle old debt with a watch - Dec 05, 2009
- Crashgate casts long shadow on US-India Polo Cup next year - Nov 28, 2009
- White House crashers to star in 'Real Housewives' - Jun 15, 2010
- Manmohan dinner crashers are star polo-party attraction - Apr 09, 2010
- Gatecrashers shook hands with Obama at state dinner - Nov 28, 2009
- White House party-crasher Michaele Salahi booted from 'Celebrity Rehab' - Mar 09, 2011
- White House gatecrashers organise 'saree' competition - Jun 13, 2010
- Manmohan dinner crashers get on reality show - Mar 27, 2010
Tags: arun kumar, asian indian culture, barack obama, channel construction, food drinks, fox 5, guilt by association, international polo, manmohan singh, michaele, party crashers, polo cup, polo game, polo match, potomac park, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, surprise performance, tareq salahi, west potomac park