Sarkozy, Bruni view Fatehpur Sikri

AGRA - After a relaxed morning and lunch at the luxury Amar Vilas hotel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni went to view Fatehpur Sikri here Sunday. The French first couple skipped a morning visit to the Taj Mahal, after having kept their date with the monument to love Saturday.

The Sarkozys spent half an hour at the Taj Mahal Saturday.

In the morning, expecting the Sarkozys to visit the 17th century monument as scheduled, visitors were not allowed entry into the Taj for more than 50 minutes. But Sarkozy and Carla did not turn up.

The district authorities failed to communicate the changed plan to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which kept the monument out of bounds for tourists for nearly an hour. This caused a great deal of resentment among tourists. Being a holiday there was a big crowd waiting to enter the monument.

The French couple spent Saturday night and several hours in the morning relaxing in the hotel. The local security personnel and authorities were on tenterhooks keeping optional plans ready should there be any change in plan.

The dignitaries are scheduled to spend an hour at Fatehpur Sikri and then leave for Kheria airport to head for New Delhi.

Media persons and photographers were not able to catch a glimpse of the couple because of the tight security arrangements.