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Continue visa ban on Modi: Indian American orgs to US

By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,

Twenty-five Indian American organizations have endorsed a letter addressed to the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging the State Department not to allow Modi to enter the United States under any circumstances.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was denied diplomatic visa to the United States in 2005 for his responsibility in Gujarat riots of 2002. The US State Department also revoked his tourist visa. It has affected Mr. Modi’s attempts at projecting himself at the national level.

Following recent win in Gujarat assembly elections, he was hoping for a reversal of US visa decision to improve his national and international standing. Recently, supporters of Modi have been trying to secure the US visa for him.

The Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) which was formed in response to the Gujarat genocide consists of a number of Indian American organizations. In the letter signed by 25 organizations and addressed to Condoleezza Rice, the State Department is urged not to revoke their 2005 order of denying visa to Mr. Modi because the circumstances that lead to the denial remains.

The letter mentions that the ‘minority communities in his state continue to face systematic human rights violations.’ His coming to the US is “to rally the support base among Indian Diaspora communities and raise international legitimacy and standing,” the letter alleges, adding that “it would be dangerous at this juncture of Indian political process to give Mr. Modi that long denied and therefore much coveted window.”

Human rights organizations finds Narendra Modi responsible for the deaths of over 2,000 Muslims and the displacement of 200,000 more. Six years after the “state sponsored violence,” there have been very few convictions and Muslims continue to suffer economic and social boycott.

The letter also mentions the anti-conversion law enacted by Gujarat that makes it difficult for any Hindu to convert to other religion. It also lists Tehelka expose, Supreme Court ordering cases related to genocide be tried outside the state, and “fake encounters” as examples of the grim situation prevailing for minorities in Gujarat.

US embassy in New Delhi said that Modi has not applied for a visa yet. A decision can be taken only after a formal request is made, adding, allegations of human rights violations against Narendra Modi will be reviewed before taking any decision.

The letter sent to the US State Department has been endorsed by the following constituent organizations of the Coalition Against Genocide:

1. Alliance for a Secular and Democratic South Asia (ASDSA)
2. Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM)
3. Campaign to Stop Funding Hate (CSFH)
4. Coalition for a Secular and Democratic India (CSDI)
5. Dalit Freedom Network (DFN)
6. Dharma Megha Inc.
7. Friends of South Asia (FOSA)
8. Gujarati Muslim Association of America (GMAA)
9. Hindu Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment
10. India Development Society
11. India Foundation Inc.
12. Indian Buddhist Association
13. Indian Muslim Council-USA (IMC-USA)
14. Indian Muslim Educational Foundation of North America (IMEFNA)
15. Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC)
16. International Service Society
17. International South Asia Forum-NY (INSAF-NY)
18. Muslim Vohra Association
19. Muslim Youth Awareness Alliance (MYAA)
20. Non-Resident Indians for Secular and Harmonious India (NRI-SAHI)
21. Seva International
22. Sikh American Heritage Organization (SAHO)
23. South Asian Progressive Action Collective (SAPAC)
24. Supporters of Human Rights in India (SHRI)
25. Vedanta Society of East Lansing

Link:
http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/