A US government advisory agency has asked the State Department not to reverse its decision to deny a tourist visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly abetting human rights violations.
The Association for Indian Americans in North America (AIANA) has invited Modi to the World Gujarati Conference in New Jersey in August.
The Commission on International Religious Freedom “again urges the State Department to announce Modi's ineligibility for a visa under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). We have not seen changes that would warrant a policy reversal,” said Felice D Gaer, chairman of the federal agency.
“As official bodies of the Government of India have found, Narendra Modi is culpable for the egregious and systematic human rights abuses wrought against thousands of India’s Muslims. Modi must demonstrate to the State Department and to the American people why he as a person, found to have aided and abetted gross violations of human rights, including religious freedom, should now be eligible for a tourist visa,” Gaer said.
Earlier in 2005, the State Department had revoked Modi’s visa under the INA for his alleged role in the 2002 post-Godhra riots. The Act prohibits foreign government officials who are “responsible for severe violations of religious freedom” from obtaining US visas. Modi was scheduled the address the same conference.
AIANA authorities in Ahmedabad, meanwhile, refused to comment on this fresh development. They said they are not aware of the developments and that the US-based AIANA president will have to be contacted for information on whether Modi will address the World Gujarati Conference through video conferencing.
Courtesy : www.expressindia.com
The Association for Indian Americans in North America (AIANA) has invited Modi to the World Gujarati Conference in New Jersey in August.
The Commission on International Religious Freedom “again urges the State Department to announce Modi's ineligibility for a visa under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). We have not seen changes that would warrant a policy reversal,” said Felice D Gaer, chairman of the federal agency.
“As official bodies of the Government of India have found, Narendra Modi is culpable for the egregious and systematic human rights abuses wrought against thousands of India’s Muslims. Modi must demonstrate to the State Department and to the American people why he as a person, found to have aided and abetted gross violations of human rights, including religious freedom, should now be eligible for a tourist visa,” Gaer said.
Earlier in 2005, the State Department had revoked Modi’s visa under the INA for his alleged role in the 2002 post-Godhra riots. The Act prohibits foreign government officials who are “responsible for severe violations of religious freedom” from obtaining US visas. Modi was scheduled the address the same conference.
AIANA authorities in Ahmedabad, meanwhile, refused to comment on this fresh development. They said they are not aware of the developments and that the US-based AIANA president will have to be contacted for information on whether Modi will address the World Gujarati Conference through video conferencing.
Courtesy : www.expressindia.com