Skip to main content

Xi Jinping's Ahmedabad visit: Slum areas, including historic Dandi bridge, on way to Sabarmati Ashram covered up

By Our Representative
In an unusual development, the Gujarat government on September 17 morning quickly moved to cover up with long green curtains the entire slum area on the two sides of the road leading to the Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad. Keen passersby noted that even the Dandi bridge, from where Mahatma Gandhi began his famous march towards Dandi for his historic 390-kilometres-long Salt Satyagraha in March-April 1930, was covered up with the curtains, as the slums are situated just next to the Dandi bridge. Only recently, the Dandi bridge was “repaired” and provided a “new look”.
While officials are keeping their mouth shut about the development, the reason, say observers, is simple: Visiting Chinese President Xi Jiping, on his way to the Sabarmati Ashram at 5.00 pm, should not see the "dirty side" of Ahmedabad. “All this is happening at a time when a two kilometre stretch of Sabarmati river riverfront was given a new makeup ahead of Xi's visit, as he must have dinner with Narendra Modi in the garden of the riverfront. The coverup began on September 17 morning, probably as an afterthought”, Umakant Mankad, who shot the snaps of the coverup and sent them to Counterview, said.
This is not for the first time that a coverup of this type has happened. Those who attended the Vibrant Gujarat summits in January 2011 and January 2013 recall, a similar coverup took place on the road leading to the venue of the world business meet, Mahatma Mandir. There, the slum areas on the left hand side of the road were covered with long, white curtains. "Covering up poverty and destitution is a favourite pastime of the establishment", said an observer, adding, "This runs parallel to the effort to cover up bitter realities of life, including the 2002 riots."
Meanwhile, social media is abuzz with comments that such dignitaries should visit Ahmedabad more often, in fact “every week”, to quote a scribe of an Ahmedabad daily, so that at least some portions of the city, where they are supposed to travel, are kept neat and clean. Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Guruprasad Mahapatra posted photographs to showcase beautiful does Sabarmati riverfront, sold as the Gujarat model across India, has been lighted up.
When someone on the social media commented that Mahapatra needs to go not very far, just about 50 kilometres south of Sabarmati, to see how Sabarmati turns into a stinking channel, full of industrial effluents, the top IAS bureaucrat agreed that there was the “other side” of the story as well, but one shouldn’t sound “negative but optimistic.”
Meanwhile, senior human rights activist from Ahmedabad, Father Cedric Prakash, in a blog commentary said, Ahmedabad looked like a “police state” ahead of Xi’s visit. “Thousands of police everywhere! Some just sitting idle-huddled up in groups, not knowing what to do”, he said, adding, one of them told him they “really did not know” what they were supposed to do, while others “threw their weight around, questioning innocent passers-by and harassing residents who live in the societies around.”
“The poor are roped in to sweep the dirt (under the carpets) and to whitewash as much as possible and as fast as possible”, the blog said, adding, “The slumdwellers live without access to the basic amenities of life, they are being covered with huge banners. After all, no one should know or see the truth of Gujarat -- just as they do so in China”. Prakash added, “There is however a great commonality or exceptional synergy” between the two – the is Tiananmen massacre in Beijing in 1989 and the Gujarat riots of 2002. “We surely do understand the bonding!”

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is what Mr Modi s style hide the povet,ry to show prosperity there were never real development in Gujrat BUT FR FEW the same JHOOT he has sold all over the country

TRENDING

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

Workers' groups condemn Gujarat Ordinance increasing working hours, warn of statewide agitation

By A Representative   At a consultation organised today by the Asangathit Shramik Hit Rakshak Manch at Circuit House in Ahmedabad, leaders of major trade unions and labour rights organisations strongly opposed the Gujarat government’s recent ordinance amending the Factories Act and the draft rules notified under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, 2020. Around 50 representatives from central trade unions, independent unions, and labour welfare organisations participated in the meeting.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar  For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative   Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

The myth of population decline: India’s real challenge is density, not fertility

By N.S. Venkataraman*   India’s population in 2025 stands at approximately 1.4 billion. In 1950, it was 359 million, rising sharply to 1.05 billion by 2000. The population continues to grow and is projected to reach around 1.7 billion by 2050.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

A matter of deep concern: The silent struggles of India's visually impaired women

By N.S. Venkataraman  Visual impairment is one of the most severe forms of physical disability that afflicts humanity, and its impact is even more acute when it affects women. The burden becomes overwhelming when visually impaired women also belong to economically weaker sections of society, with little or no financial or institutional support. Their struggle for dignity, survival, and identity is often invisible—hidden in plain sight across cities and rural corners alike. And yet, these women form a large, neglected segment of society not just in India, but around the world. In India, governmental assistance to visually impaired persons exists but remains minimal. While policies are framed with good intent, they often fall short in implementation. More importantly, no real distinction is made between the unique challenges faced by visually impaired men and women. This gender-blind approach to disability support overlooks the compounded social vulnerabilities that women face due to...