Ahead of 2014 elections BJP boss in the US for diaspora outreach and seeks American visa for Moodi

The Hindu
New York, July 21, 2013

BJP wants US visa for Modi

PTI

The BJP, which had so far maintained that it was not unduly bothered about denial of American visa to Narendra Modi, on Sunday said it will appeal to the US Administration to lift the travel ban on him.

Addressing a press conference in New York, the party President Rajnath Singh said he would take up the issue with the U.S. lawmakers in Washington during the week.

“I will appeal to the U.S. government to clear the U.S. visa to the Gujarat Chief Minister,” he said.

The U.S. Government had taken a decision not to give visa to Mr. Modi in the wake of the post-Godhra riots of 2002 in Gujarat and serious violation of human rights there.

The party had always maintained that Mr. Modi was not clamouring for a U.S. visa but criticised the Administration on its stand saying he was a democratically elected popular leaders of the state.

Mr. Modi, who has been nominated as the chairman of BJP election campaign committee, has taken to addressing audiences in the US through video-conferencing.

Recently, a planned address by him to Wharton India Economic Forum was cancelled after some objections were raised in the institution.

Mr. Singh is on a five-day trip to New York and Washington on an outreach programme to meet the Indian diaspora.

On Tuesday, he will present a key note address on India, Afghanistan and regional security at a conference in Washington.