NEW DELHI: A visiting US congressional delegation yesterday invited Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to the United States, despite the fact that Washington has denied him a visa since 2005 because of deadly religious riots.
The invitation was a symbolic victory for Modi, who is accused by critics of not doing enough to stop — or even quietly encouraging — riots in 2002 in which at least 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, were killed. He has denied the accusations but they have cast a shadow over his political ambitions and for years he was shunned by the West.
Indian media saw yesterday’s visit by Republican lawmakers Aaron Schock, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Cynthia Lummis as a public relations coup for Modi, who has been trying to cultivate an image of a statesman.
It was the highest-level US delegation to meet Modi since the riots, an official in Modi’s office said. The United States has maintained links with his administration at a consular level. US companies such as Ford Motor Co have major operations in Gujarat.
Schock, an Illinois congressman, told a news conference that American business leaders had encouraged him to visit Gujarat “because unlike other places in India our foreign investment is welcome”.
“My colleagues and I were thoroughly impressed with our meeting with Modi and I will tell you that he is a very dynamic person and he has a pretty impressive track-record here in the state of Gujarat.
McMorris-Rodgers, who is from Washington state and is the fourth-ranking Republican leader in the House of Representatives, said US lawmakers would work with the Obama administration to ease the travel curbs on Modi.
REUTERS
