Chaos greets Clinton in quake-hit India

Officials explain to Clinton the Anjar tragedy that killed 200 children

ANJAR, India -- Exuberant crowds who broke through barricades to greet former U.S. President Bill Clinton were beaten back by police.

Clinton is on a visit to raise funds for earthquake damaged Gujarat. He is the first high-profile foreign visitor to the disaster zone, which is one of India's most industrialized states.

About 3,000 townspeople watched as Clinton bowed his head for a moment at an empty pedestal. Then they went wild, shouting, "Clinton, Clinton," and knocked down a police cordon made of rope and wood.

As police beat back the crowd with bamboo canes, Clinton was whisked into a car, which sped off. "I'll be coming back to India for the rest of my life," he shouted.

City officials had hoped Clinton would unveil a memorial plaque for hundreds of schoolchildren who died on January 26, when the western Indian state was rocked by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake.

The plaque Clinton was expected to unveil is removed

The plaque was removed when the owner of the land objected. He had not been consulted, and he accused officials of putting on a show for Clinton and siphoning off aid money.

A few hours before Clinton arrived at the site, workers were trying to unplug an open sewage drain and use rubble to cover stinking ponds of garbage.

No rehabilitation work has been done in the neighborhood since the quake and the residents live in a nearby tent city.

Clinton gave a brief speech, saying, "The people here have faced an unimaginable tragedy with courage. Now the world has to stand by these people so they can restore their normal lives," he said.

Warmed up ties

Clinton has been popular in India since his March 2000 visit -- the first by a U.S. president in 22 years -- warmed up relations between the world's largest democracies after strains from the Cold War.

His seven-day visit to Gujarat state, Bombay, New Delhi, Jaipur and Calcutta is being sponsored by the American India Foundation, a group of U.S. based business people of Indian descent, who aim to raise $20 million to rebuild 40 villages.

Clinton's visit will take him to Mother Teresa's orphanage in the eastern city of Calcutta and to Bombay for talks with business leaders. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will host a dinner for him in New Delhi.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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