By IANS,
Mumbai: American diplomats were conspicuous by their absence at BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally here Sunday in the wake of the chill in Indo-US relations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had invited around 140 consulates and other diplomatic missions in Mumbai – besides 10,000 tea vendors – for the “Maha Garjna Rally”.
But in view of the fury over the treatment meted out to Indian diplomat Devyani Khboragade in the US, the invitation to US consulate officials was taken back, BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy said Saturday.
BJP national executive member Raj Purohit, however, said Sunday that the invitation was not cancelled. “Only, there was no follow up from our side, and also on their side.”
Modi’s rally was attended by representatives from various consulates in Mumbai including Japan, Australia and Canada, Purohit told IANS.
The US consulate is located a stone’s throw away from the rally venue at Bandra East.