If beleaguered Ivanka Trump needs an ego boost, she’ll probably find one when she touches down in India on Tuesday.
The Southern Indian city of Hyderabad is pulling out all the stops for a visit from the first daughter and presidential adviser, who will be in town for a conference promoting female entrepreneurship. “Ivanka is everywhere in Hyderabad this week,” reports Michael Safi of the Guardian, observing she’s in constant TV news coverage, on billboards and even a mannequin that passers-by pose with for pictures outside of a major mosque.
The city has undergone an extensive cleanup for her visit, repaving roads, adding street lights and repainting bridges in rainbow colors.
“I am excited about one thing, she is coming, and so the government is cleaning the roads. We are happy for this reason only,” a student told the Guardian as he posed for a photo between the Ivanka mannequin and one of her father, President Trump.
More controversial are local media reports that stray dogs have been rounded up to be exterminated. The assistant director of the city’s veterinary department denies it. “Being a Christian and a vet I know the importance of animals,” said JD Wilson. “We don’t kill animals, we are just catching them for sake of their welfare.” The dogs are being spayed and neutered and will be released in three or four days, he said. “It is our regular practice.”
Rumors that homeless people have been removed from Ivanka’s potential sight lines has drawn a familiar response: “This is fake news,” said Vinoy Kumar Singh, director general of Telengana state prisons. “We started our drive against the menace of beggary three months back.”
The Guardian visited a shelter where 262 homeless were taken in the last month and spoke to a man who was chill with the first daughter’s visit. “I don’t know who Ivanka is, but I am happy she has come to Hyderabad,” he said. “I have been shifted to this ashram and get tea and food on time.”
Trump will deliver a keynote speech on Tuesday and have dinner with India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi at Taj Falaknuma, a palace that’s been converted into a luxury hotel. She’ll return to Washington amid rumors that President Trump has told her and husband Jared Kushner to return to New York to escape her bad press.
