US refuses Manmohan Singh’s request for Visa to Modi, UK feels the heat and may also refuse visa
Harish Baliga
Mar. 22, 2005

United States today defied a request of Prime Minister Manmhan Singh by upholding a decision to deny a visa to Narendra Modi, Gujarat's controversial chief minister, stating that the BJP politician was linked to “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” during an anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat in 2002. The Indian American Hotelier Association who invited Mr. Modi withdrew the invitation day before yesterday. The chief of that organization Mike Patel is President Bush’s advisor to minority affairs. His action clearly indicated that US would not budge from its decision.

Mr Modi plans to attend a celebration of Gujarati music at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Saturday. US decision is putting pressure on UK to withdraw the decision. Islamic organizations and Human Rights watchdog group are organizing severe demonstrations in case Mr. Modi visits UK.

According to Financial Times of UK, Jeff Wilson, a spokesman for the British High Commission in Delhi, which as a matter of course refuses contact with the Gujarat state government because of its human rights record, said the UK government had no plans to deny Mr Modi a visa or revoke any existing ones. “We have a different system to the US and have no plans to follow suit,” Mr Wilson said, pointing out that Mr Modi visited the UK in 2003. “The US has refused him a visa on a specific point of legislation pertaining to the abuse of human rights.”

Ravi Nair of the Delhi-based South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, said: “The British High Commission did a detailed report after Gujarat and there is enough material in that to show that Mr Modi is an undesirable person in any democratic country.”

International think tanks observed that US defiance Indian Prime Minister’s request does not bode well for the bilateral relationship of the two countries. As far as human rights violations are concerned, BJP leaders asked the American took towards China and other countries and not India.

Experts say the issue is that US has a law that bars human rights violators to enter the US. But who will judge a human rights violator. Can America really brand whole of India as a human rights violator? If not, then the real problem arises. If the Americans have taken action against Mr. Modi and the Gujrat Government, they have challenged the constitutional authority of India. That is a very serious matter.

The problem really lies with Mr. Bush’s advisor Mike Patel. He and his group of Indian (mostly from Gujrat) motel owners should have consulted the US State Department especially if they are that close to the Republican Administration. The way they have backed away is remarkable. The question can be asked how can you invite someone whom your country bars from entering due to human rights violation? Why did you print thousands of posters all over US and distribute to Indian shops, groceries and elsewhere in US announcing Mr. Modi is coming to provide a speech in Madison Square Garden of New York. Their action have complicated the matter and caused an unnecessary difficult diplomatic situation between India and America.

There are many such expatriate NRI Associations in America. Next time, Indian politicians before accepting such invitation from any of these BRI organizations should first consult the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who in turn can consult with the embassy of the country concerned. Ideally these things are not supposed to be washed in the public. What the NRI Motel Association did was right but too late. They should not have invited a controversial politician who they cannot really bring to America.

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