Washington holds firm
on no visa to
Narendra Modi
AZIZ HANIFFA
Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi
The Obama administration has made it clear that there has
been no review on the issue of granting Gujarat Chief
Minister Narendra Modi a United States visa.
“No, there are no new developments on that,” said Assistant
Secretary of State Robert O Blake, the administration’s point
man for South Asia, November 14, in response to a question.
“But, as you say, Gujarat itself remains a very important place
for American investment. It’s shown itself to be a very wel-
coming environment for American business to flourish. And
we’ll continue to promote investment, encourage investment
into that state.”
In March 2005, Modi was denied a visa to attend the Asian
American Hotel Owners Association annual convention,
where he was to deliver the keynote address. The denial was
over his ‘role’ during the riots in his state in 2002, which left
nearly 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, dead. The US embassy
in New Delhi said Modi’s tourist and business visa, issued in
1998, had been revoked and there was no chance he would be
issued a diplomatic visa either.
The refusal came just two days after the visit to New Delhi
of then secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. Though the
Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance government
has no love lost for Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party leader
Modi, it summoned Blake, then deputy chief of mission at
the American embassy in Delhi. New Delhi lodged a strong
protest. Its external affairs ministry said: ‘The action on the
part of the US embassy is uncalled for and displays lack of
courtesy and sensitivity towards a constitutionally elected
chief minister of a state of India.’ Modi called it ‘an insult to
the Indian constitution and an attack on Indian sovereignty.’
Washington held firm, saying the decision had been taken
under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act,
‘under which any foreign government official responsible for
serious violation of religious freedom is ineligible for a visa.’
Last week, Blake said Washington was elated over the con-
tinuing rapprochement between India and Pakistan, and
Islamabad’s decision to accord India Most Favored Nation
trade status. He last week returned from the Maldives after
attending the 17th summit of the South Asian Association of
Regional Cooperation — where the US has observer status
since 2007. Blake said there evidently was a dissipation of
the concern by some SAARC nations about faster integration
because of fears that “they would not be able to compete with
India if they opened up their economies.”
Blake, a former US ambassador to Sri Lanka, argued: “Sri
Lanka’s bilateral Free Trade Agreement with India shows
that that is a misplaced concern. Total volume of trade has
quadrupled during the 11 years that their bilateral FTA has
been in effect, and Sri Lankan exports to India have
increased more than Indian exports to Sri Lanka… I
explained our support for greater regional integration not
only within South Asia, but between South and Central Asia
and Secretary Clinton’s vision of a New Silk Road linking the
economies of South and Central Asia in a web of trade, tran-
sit, and energy connections… Our view is the faster this
regional integration can take place, not only within South
Asia but between South Asia and Central Asia, the better for
the people of the countries of both regions.”
He was asked about his recent visits to places like West
Bengal, Bihar and others, and if this was a deliberate attempt
by the US to reach out directly to Indian states and avoid the
federal bureaucracy. Blake said, “We’ve always had many,
many important links with the states. We have consulates all
over India, and we attach great importance to working more
closely with the states. We recently have begun an effort to
try to enhance state-to-state ties between our two countries
— Special Representative Rita Jo Lewis recently made a trip
to India with that in mind — because we believe there are
quite significant opportunities for individual American
states to do more with their Indian counterparts.”
SANJAY SAWANT
Community activists welcome India’s ‘no outsourcing consulate work’ rule
GEORGE JOSEPH
Indian-American community leaders have
welcomed India’s ministry of external
affairs’ reported decision to not outsource
visa- and passport-related work to foreign
firms. The ministry has reportedly sent a
circular to Indian missions, directing them
not to outsource these works to foreign
companies in future.
A letter from Indian External Affairs
Minister S M Krishna has reportedly asked
the missions to award the contract to
Indian companies. But there is no ban for
such companies to have foreign partners.
This provision may be due to World Trade
Organization regulations, the reports
noted. The existing contracts will remain
for now, but in future, no contract will be
given to any foreign firm which does not
have any Indian partner.
Reportedly, the minister’s letter warned
of disciplinary action if the mission author-
ities fail to ensure transparency in procure-
ment and visa outsourcing.
