While the State claims to be maintaining the atithi devo bhawa concept by welcoming and treating visitors to the State in an appreciable manner, the statement of intent signing ceremony presented a contradictory picture.
As is customary, the guests are welcomed before the hosts but in this ceremony bouquets were first presented to the chief minister, mayor and cabinet ministers before the Chinese guests were welcomed with bouquets.
While some journalists muttered among themselves regarding the impropriety of invited guests being welcomed after the hosts, chief minister Harish Rawat, probably sensing the odd situation, himself took a bouquet from an official and presented it to Xian Xia Namkai from Tongji University.