The bike-borne ‘Janbaaz’ daredevils of the BSF came in for praise the third time by US President Barack Obama who termed their stunts “impressive” during his speech at the Siri Fort Auditorium on the last leg of his three-day official visit here. “It has been great honour to be the first American President to join you for Republic Day. Yesterday’s parade... we saw the pride and diversity of this nation including the dare-devils on the Royal Enfields which was very impressive,” he told the select audience.
The Secret Service squad, which guards me, “does not” let me ride motorcycle, “especially not on my heads,” the visiting President said in a lighter vein. Obama had twice praised and cheered the Border Security Force team on Monday, first by signaling a Thumbs Up gesture when the daredevils blazed past the saluting dais at Rajpath and the second time during the Indo-US Business Forum where he made a remark that showed he was quite overwhelmed with their unusual manoeuvres.
“I would, by the way, not drive a motorcycle after watching those incredible acrobats,” he had said. The bullet motorcycle riding ‘Janbaaz’ troops are record holders in various events on their 350cc Enfield bikes and they performed as many as 13 acrobatic stunts on the Republic Day parade where Obama was the chief guest this year.
The US President’s wife Michelle too was seen clapping along as this special contingent of the border guarding force displayed its daredevilry. The bike squad was raised in 1990 under the BSF which is tasked to guard Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.