March 21, 2005
 

Visa denial for Narendra Modi

The US Embassy confirmed that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's request for a diplomatic visa had been denied owing to his direct contribution and role in the Gujarat riots of 2002. The US has an explicit immigration act which aims to keep out government officials who have been directly involved in or abetted acts of religious intolerance.

Modi's assertion that the action of the US government is tantamount to insulting Hindus and India is laughable. If anyone is an insult to Hindus, it is him and those in the Sangh parivar, who have no qualms about preaching intolerance and inciting the public into violent action and mob fury. To use the vernacular, "Modi, moodu da".

The US government has the right to deny entry to whoever it deems unfit. No one has a right to enter any country. *Nudge nudge, wink wink* to Pervez and his freedom fighters. The problem, as Nitin points out, is the United States' none too impressive record when it comes to human rights.

Siddharth Varadarajan opines that the BJP cannot protest because it has benefitted in the past from the US looking the other way. Since I do not have a subscription, I am unable to completely figure out what Vir Sanghvi wants to say.

I think the best option for the Indian government is to not pursue the issue any further with the US government and do a quid pro quo by denying a visa to some decently high ranking US official who wants to visit India, perhaps Bush himself, for the fun those under his command had at Abu(se) Gharib.

Labels: gujarat violence 2002, narendra modi