Trump visit to India: A bane or a blessing for the common man?

In the run up to the Trump visit, Ahmedabad, Agra, and Delhi has been treated to an much cleaner version like never before.  As the build up towards Trump's first political visit began to descend round the clock preparations continued for quite some time. Right from the airport to the world's largest cricket stadium everything looked clean as a crystal to give the President a happy picture about the country. However, not everyone in the country looks  happy with such a vast clear-up operation. It is estimated that up to 1.5 million of Ahmedabad’s 7 million people live in informal, slum housing or on the streets, it is reported that they have been repeatedly displaced, by clearing the way for Trump's roadshow.

Tulsi, a 55-year-old construction worker and grandfather, said he and his family were threatened with sticks and shoved by armed police clearing the road, while municipal workers confiscated and destroyed their blankets and clothing. A dejected Tulsi says, "We voted for Modi and this is how he thanks us, holding back her tears, this visit is just adding to our problems." The Indian authorities have estimated to have spend a whopping amount on the preparations just in Ahmedabad, where the Trumps are only expected to spend 3 hours out of their 36 hour stay in India. The expenditure for the Ahmedabad leg is estimated to be the equivalent of around 1.5 per cent of the entire state’s annual home ministry budget.Part of the money has gone towards a brand new, hastily constructed 700m-long wall, more than 6ft high in some places, that residents say is being used to obscure the view of slums along the roadshow route. 

On the wake of such a big clean up drive the questions which is needs to be asked is what has the people got in return for bringing the Government back in power?Will someone like a Tulsi and his family vote the next time in a election because he himself is not very well treated by India, taking a cue from Trump's comments last week that "we are not treated well by India.'' After the two day pomp and extravagance the government should reflect on their actions and think why can the common man also not deserve the same treatment as Trump not of a opulent lifestyle but fulfillment of basic needs and proper infrastructure. In other words, why can a common man not become a VIP in his own country with the help of his own government rather than stay in hiding leading a life of struggle and difficulty.