A billion photographs

Let’s hear it for those inquisitive Indian journalists who travelled to Havana for the Summit of the Non Aligned Movement.

First, they revealed the location of Fidel Castro’s secret recovery room – he is not in hospital or at the family compound near Siboney but in a suite of rooms at the heavily-fortified Palace of the Revolution, smack in the middle of the capital.

Now, they have revealed that during his entire 45 minute meeting with the Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the 80 year old dictator remained sitting in a wheelchair. In fact, Castro only stood up at the end and only to have his picture taken with Dr Singh so that “a billion people can see us together”.

Sadly, it seems the Indian PM was somewhat overawed by the experience.

“I felt I was in the presence of one of the greatest men of our times,” Dr Singh told reporters abroad his plane bound for home.

Which is a shame coming from the democratically elected head of the world’s largest democracy.