Donald Trump is coming to Gujarat, and knowing how much he likes building walls, PM Modi is getting some constructed in the state. Hiding slums so they're out of sight could be another reason to do so.
According to The Indian Express report, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)? served eviction notices to 45 families on February 17. These people live in a slum close to the newly built Motera stadium that will host US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 24.
The 200 slum-dwellers who work as construction workers have been asked to move out of the plot they have been living in for the past two decades for the ¡®Namaste Trump¡¯ event. However, according to the report, AMC officials said the notices had no connection with the event.
¡°The AMC officials who came to serve the notices asked us to vacate as soon as possible. They told us that the head of the United States is visiting Motera stadium and they wanted us to move out,¡± The?Indian Express quoted 35-year-old Teja Meda as saying. He reportedly has been living on the plot for 22 years.
He told the media house that he along with other construction workers are registered with Majur Adhikar Manch and they earn Rs 300 on an average daily.?
A total of 65 families live at a distance of 1.5 km from the Motera stadium of which these 45 have been served notices.?
The Indian Express quoted the AMC notices as stating that ¡®the ¡°encroached¡± land belongs to the AMC and is part of a town planning (TP) scheme. The slum-dwellers have been asked to remove their belongings within seven days. In case of any appeals, the slum-dwellers have been asked to approach the department by Wednesday¡¯.?
Talking to The Indian Express Kishore Varna, assistant TDO (Motera ward) at the Usmanpura office of AMC said, ¡°These slum-dwellers had encroached upon land under one of the town planning schemes and hence were served notices. It has nothing to do with the US President¡¯s event at the Motera stadium. There are some elements who are trying to take advantage of the event.¡±?
During the ¡®Namaste Trump¡¯ event, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share a common platform at the Motera stadium next week.?
Source: The Indian Express