March 28, 2013
AHMEDABAD: A high-profile American delegation, comprising parliamentarians and businessmen, today met Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who was denied visa by the US over the issue of post-Godhra riots, here and invited him to visit their country.
Narendra Modi with the US Congress delegation
March 28, 2013
AHMEDABAD: A high-profile American delegation, comprising parliamentarians and businessmen, today met Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who was denied visa by the US over the issue of post-Godhra riots, here and invited him to visit their country.
Narendra Modi with the US Congress delegation
Members of the delegation praised the Gujarat chief minister and his efforts to transform the state's economy. Modi had been denied visa by the US since 2005 due to allegations of mishandling of the 2002 riots against his government.
"We have extended an invitation to the chief minister Modi and requested him to show us there what he has achieved here in his state," US Congressman from Illinois Aaron Schock told reporters here. Asked if this invitation meant that the US State Department had changed its stand over the issue of visa to Modi, Schock said "obviously it is a matter of the United States administration but we, along with other Republican lawmakers, will work in that direction with the US administration."
"We have invited him to the US to show us some of what he has done here in the state. We were impressed with what we have seen here, specially with his statement of 'minimum government, maximum governance'. And as a Congressman of the Republican Party, I also believe in limited government," he said.
A delegation comprising US parliamentarians and businessmen today called on Gujarat chief minister NarendraModi, who has been denied visa by that country after the 2002 riots.
An 18-member delegation, led by Republican Congressmen from Illinois Aaron Schock, today arrived here at the official residence of Modi around noon, following their visit to Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad and held over an hour-long closed-door meeting with him and high ranking state officials.
While welcoming the US delegation, Modi spoke about the fast and inclusive, environment-friendly process of development in Gujarat, an official statement issued here said. "With hard work, we have been able to create an impact in the country," Modi said.
During the interaction, Schock pointed out that the people in US were keen to work with Gujarat and that they were impressed by the way the state has facilitated investment. As per the official press release Schock state that there was enormous potential to work together with Gujarat.
It may be recalled that following Modi's fourth consecutive victory in the 2012 Assembly Elections Schock had made a statement, congratulating Modi, on the floor of the US House of Representatives.
Modi has been denied visa by the US following the 2002 riots. However, whether the visa issue was discussed during today's meeting, was not known.
The delegation is visiting India to promote 'People to People Contacts and Diplomacy' along with the Overseas Friends of BJP's (OFBJP) 'Global Community Overreach Programme'.
This is a joint initiative by US based National Indian- American Public Policy Institute and India based Delhi Study Group.
Business sector representatives in the delegation has been led by Illinois-based Punjabi NRI businessman and Overseas Friends of BJP member Shalabh Kumar. Other US Parliamentarians in the delegation included Cynthia Lummis (Republican Congresswoman from Wyoming) and Cathy M Rodgers (Republican Congresswoman from Washington State).
Courtesy: PTI
