India has denied trying to hide poor people from United States President Donald Trump despite building a brick wall alongside a slum the US president is due to be driven past.
Ahead of Trump’s visit to the city of Ahmedabad next week, the 400-metre barrier has been put up for “security reasons, beautification and cleanliness”, government official Bijal Patel said. But resident Keshi Saraniya said: “Why are they hiding us poor people? Why not use (the money) to improve our slum and provide better facilities for us?”
An event called Namaste Trump, which translates as Greetings Trump, is due to be held at the largest cricket stadium in the world and is likely to resemble the Howdy Modi rally attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston last September.
Trump will inaugurate the rebuilt Motera Stadium, which holds 110,000 spectators. Eviction notices have been served to 45 families living in another slum area near the sports venue. Residents said they were asked to leave because of next Monday’s event, something denied by local authorities.