WASHINGTON: A village in Rajasthan's Mewat region will be named after US President Donald Trump, a top Indian sociologist and social worker has said, prompting the state government to rule out any such plan.
"I announce to name one village in India as Trump Village," Sulabh International founder and chief Bindeshwar Pathak said at a community event organised in the suburbs of Washington DC.
This, he said, is part of his effort to enhance India-US relationship.
However, the Rajasthan government officials have said there is no such proposal with the government to rename any village after the name of the US president.
"It is the government which renames a village and there is laid down procedures for that. As of now, there is no such proposal with the department to name a village after the us president. I have nothing to comment on what Mr Pathak has said," Alok, Rajasthan government's principal secretary of the revenue department, told PTI in Jaipur.
Mewat region falls under Alwar district and the Alwar District Collector Rajan Vishal also said there was no such proposal.
"The competence of renaming a village lies with the government and no private man can do that. We have no such proposal or request in this regard," Vishal said.
Giving a presentation to local community and political leaders in the US, Pathak said that he is working to provide affordable sanitation and toilets to the masses and end the practice of manual scavenging.
In his address, he urged the Indian-American community to help realise the goal of sanitation and cleanliness in India. The cost of one toilet ranges from USD 25 to USD 500, depending on nature of construction. Technology remains the same, he said.
Republican leader from Virginia, Ed Gillespie, who is running for Virginia Governor, highlighted the role the Indian American community plays in the US, adding "the US has a very strong relationship with India."
He and other local politicians also explored the option of adopting the technology of Sulabh international in Virginia and Maryland.
"Rural areas of Virginia have a problem in building toilets and its maintenance cost is very high. Several officials from both Virginia and Maryland have expressed their interest in adopting it locally so as to bring the cost down," said Virginia Republican Puneet Ahluwalia.
Congresswoman Barbara Comstock also felicitated Pathak on the occasion.