India has denied trying to hide poor people from Donald Trump - despite building a brick wall alongside a slum the US president is due to be driven past.
Ahead of Mr 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.
Image: Donald Trump's visit is intended to lessen tensions between the two countries
Mr 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.
"This is injustice," said resident Sanjay Patani. "We have been living here for the last 20 years and now we are suddenly being told to vacate because some important leader is visiting this city for a day."
Government official Kishore Varna said the land belongs to the local authority and the evictions are legal, but did not say why they have happened so close to the US president's visit.
Image: The cricket stadium Donald Trump is due to visit
Ahmedabad is in Mr Modi's home state of Gujarat, where he was chief minister for 12 years before becoming PM in 2014.
Authorities have spent about £9m on the visit, which is likely to last for around three hours.
Eighteen roads from Ahmedabad Airport to the stadium have been widened or re-laid.
Mr Trump's trip, on 24 and 25 February, is intended to lessen tensions between the two countries after his administration put tariffs on steel and aluminium from India.
India responded with higher tariffs on agricultural goods and restrictions on US medical devices.
monkeyinadress on February 18th, 2020 at 23:16 UTC »
ever hear of a "Potemkin Village"? In Imperial Russia, Catherine the Great lived fabulously and her courtiers told her that her subjects lived fabulously as well; even the poorest of peasants. eventually someone told her of the appalling destitution of the majority of her subjects and she was resolved to leave St. Petersburg and see for herself. certain sycophants went on ahead and arranged that all villages on her route should be tidied up and painted and the villagers dressed in borrowed finery to cheer her as she rode through. when the Empress saw how wonderful things were she scolded those who had told her the tales of poverty and misery and returned to the Palace. and so it goes in our own time; the Emperor must never see unpleasant things.
Doug-on-Reddit on February 18th, 2020 at 19:52 UTC »
The Brazilian government did the same thing on the highway from the airport to the city in Rio before the Olympics/World Cup. It did not fool anyone.
the_innkeeper_ on February 18th, 2020 at 19:47 UTC »
They’re not hiding anything, they just wanted to show Trump how easily they can build a wall