As India gears up to host US President Donald Trump on his visit to the country, Ahmedabad's paan shops may be giving Modi headaches.
It's not everyday that the American president comes to India. This is Trump's first ever visit to the country since he assumed office as President of the United States (POTUS). Authorities in Ahmedabad — where Trump is set to inaugurate the world's largest cricket stadium — are making sure the American president does't see its paan-stained walls.
According to a report in an Indian news website, three paan shops located in the airport area in Ahmedabad have been sealed to discourage people from spitting it on roads and walls. A notice has been put up on a wall around the area, warning shop owners of the legal implications of removing the seal.
A report in The Times of India had claimed that an Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) official said people used to spit paan and throw cigarette butts everywhere, making the area unclean. He said that if the shops were allowed to remain open, it would make the area unclean.
However, authorities have issued a denial and stated that all paan shops in the city were open. Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nehra said that the shops haven't been sealed by authorities.
"There are thousands of paan shops in Ahmedabad. All of them are open. The reports are not just misleading but also mischievous," Nehra told News18.
India and the US are expected to sign a trade deal during Trump's visit to India with Melania Trump. Ties between the two countries have been strained to a degree due to trade as the US seeks greater access to Indian poultry and dairy markets.