[green youth] ] A Tight Slap in the Face of Narendra Modi!

Anivar Aravind
Sat, 19 Mar 2005 01:04:22 -0800

At last the 3 month campaign Against Modies vist to us is suceeded. So
many groups like IMC-usa, Stop funding hate campaign, Amnesty
internations etc are involved in this campaign.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [foil] A Tight Slap in the Face of Narendra Modi!
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:07:00 -0800 (PST)
From: Sukla Sen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>


NEWS FLASHES:

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=43432#compstory

America denies visa to Narendra Modi

Press Trust Of India
Posted online: Friday, March 18, 2005 at 1156 hours
IST
Updated: Friday, March 18, 2005 at 1909 hours IST

Narendra Modi New Delhi, March 18: In a stinging snub
to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the United
States on Friday denied him a diplomatic visa and
revoked his tourist/business visa under a law that
bars such a privilege to anyone who carries out severe
violations of religious freedom.

      
Modi has been denied diplomatic visa and his
tourist/business visa, already granted, has also been
revoked under a section of US Immigration and
Nationality Act, a spokesman of the US embassy said .

The Act prohibits anybody who was "responsible for or
directly carried out at any time, particularly severe
violations of religious freedom."

The Chief Minister was to pay a five-day visit to US
from March 20 and some Indian-American groups had
threatened to organise protests against him and two
American Congressmen had planned to introduce a
resolution condemning the policies and actions of the
state administration in the light of post-Godhra riots
that rocked the state in 2002.


"We can confirm that Chief Minister of Gujarat state
Narendra Modi applied for but was denied the
diplomatic visa under section 214 (B) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act because he was not
coming for the purpose that qualified for diplomatic
visa," the spokesman said.

"His tourist/business visa was revoked under section
212(A) (2) (G) of the Act which makes any government
official who was responsible for or directly carried
out at any time, particularly severe violations of
religious freedom, ineligible for visa," he added.



II.
http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=43487#compstory
India asks US to reconsider ban on Modi

Press Trust Of India
Posted online: Friday, March 18, 2005 at 1653 hours
IST

New Delhi, March 18: India on Friday asked the US to
review its decision of revoking and denying visa to
Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi to visit that
country.

Hours after US revoked Modi's tourist and business
visa and denied him diplomatic visa, US Deputy Chief
of Mission Robert Blake was summoned to the foreign
office where Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran conveyed
India's concern and regret over the development.
Emerging after the 30-minute meeting, Blake told
reporters that India had asked the US to review its
decision. He said he explained to the foreign
secretary the reason for the US decision.

III.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1055653.cms?headline=Modi~reacts:~If~Mush~can~go,~why~can't~I?
Modi reacts: If Mush can go, why can't I?Add to
Clippings

INDIATIMES NEWS NETWORK[ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2005
02:43:41 PM ]

AHMEDABAD: Addressing a press conference hours after
being denied a visa to visit the US, Gujarat CM
Narendra Modi termed Washington's action as an "insult
to India and the Constitution".

He said that this was an attempt to show India in bad
light by the US and appealed to the Indian government
to "rise above political differences" and take up the
issue with the American government.

"On what basis has the US decided this?" Modi asked.

"Where has the US got it's information from? The
American government should know that every state in
India is ruled by the Constitution and no one can
violate that. No court has indicted the Gujarat
government or the CM of complicity in the incidents
that took place in the state. This is an insult to the
Constitution of India."

Modi did not directly refer to the Gujarat riots,
prefering to call them "incidents".

The CM said that Gujarat was being ruled by a
"newly-elected" government, that came into power after
the elections.

He also pointed that there have been no disturbances
in the state after 2002 and referred to the Akshardham
seige, saying that there was no backlash even after
that.

"Why is this not being considered by the US?" he
asked.

He also accused to the US of being dictatorial and
high-handed.

Modi said that if the President of Pakistan and the
Prime Minister of Bangladesh can go to US - given that
minorities have been completely wiped off from both
nations - so can he.

"Can the Indian government stop an American government
official from visiting on the basis of what has
happened in Iraq?" he asked.

Modi said that he will write to the PM to take up the
issue. The minister for external affairs is believed
to have already met the PM on the denial of visa to
Modi.


IV.
[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.RES.156:]
>
> Condemning the conduct of Chief Minister Narendra
Modi for his actions to
> incite religious persecution and urging the United
States to condemn all
> violations of religious freedom in... (Introduced in
House)

------
2.
Washington DC
March 16, 2005
Media Contacts: Derek Karchner (Pitts), 202 225-2411;
Michelle Persaud (Conyers), 202 225-6906
Cong. Conyers, Cong. Pitts legislation condemns
persecution by Indian official

Washington-Congressmen John Conyers (D, MI-14) and
Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) today will introduce legislation
condemning the actions of Narendra Modi, Chief
Minister of Gujarat, India, and calling on the United
States government to do the same.  The legislation
cites repeated attacks by Mr. Modi against Christian,
Muslim, and tribal populations in Gujarat.

"Mr. Modi has not been shy about proudly professing
his anti-Christian, anti-Muslim, and anti-tribal
stances. He has repeatedly dehumanized the Muslim
population of his state by accusing them of treachery;
he has actively sought to interfere in the practice of
the Christian faith in Gujarat, and he has caused
wide-scale displacement of indigenous populations in
the State in the face of stiff popular resistance,"
said Congressman Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the
House Judiciary Committee and the Dean of the
Congressional Black Caucus.

"The evidence is clear.  Mr. Modi persecutes
religious minorities in Gujarat.  Our government
should speak with one voice in condemning these
policies and the actions of the Modi administration
that has led to the death, torture, and imprisonment
of thousands in Gujarat," said Congressman Pitts, a
member of the India Caucus and the Congressional Human
Rights Caucus.

Introduced just days before Mr. Modi is scheduled to
speak at several events in the United States, the
legislation -

(1)   Condemns the conduct of Chief Minister Narendra
for condoning or inciting bigotry and intolerance
against any religious group in India, including people
of the Christian and Islamic faiths; and
(2)   Urges the United States to condemn violations of
religious freedom, and to promote and assist other
governments in the promotion of, the fundamental right
to freedom of religion in India.

Mr. Modi's administration has, according to both
India's highest court and many international human
rights groups, condoned terrible, violent crimes
against religious minorities.  This includes the 2002
riots in which 2,000 Indian Muslims and non-Hindus
were killed by Hindu mobs.  According to the Hindustan
Times, minorities in Gujarat are threatened with
questions like, "Would you like to live as Hindus or
die! like Christians?"

"India is too strong an ally for us to stand idly by
while extremists undermine its commitment to
democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.  This
resolution is the least we can do to support India's
efforts to protect religious and ethnic minorities
within its borders," said Congressman Pitts.

Congressman Conyers concluded, "Mr. Modi has attacked
Muslims and Christians with vile venom, and according
to both India's highest court and many international
human rights groups, has condoned terrible, violent
religious hate crimes, all the while, shielding those
said to have committed them. Such actions by high
ranking government officials of any religion are
unacceptable and must not be tolerated. The United
States has a duty to set an example for other new
democracies by condemning religious intolerance and
promoting religious freedom, so that others may see
what our great democracy stands for."

***

3.

   Coalition Against Genocide commends Congressmen
Conyers and Pitts for condemning Narendra Modi



   Contact:

   Dr. Ashwini Rao                        Zeeshan
Farees

   Tel/fax: 443 927 9039                        Tel:
516-567-0783

   [EMAIL PROTECTED]


   For Immediate Release



   March 16th 2005, New York, NY: The Coalition
Against Genocide (CAG) commends Congressmen John
Conyers (D-MI 14th) and Joseph Pitts (R-PA 16th) for
introducing a joint resolution condemning human rights
abuses perpetrated by Chief Minister Narendra Modi on
the occasion of his impending visit to the United
States.


   Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of the western
state of Gujarat, India, has been accused by Amnesty
International and the Human Rights Watch of complicity
in the massacre of over 2,000 Muslims in February and
March of 2002. He has also been accused by the US
Commission on International religious Freedom (USCIRF)
of inciting hatred and violence against Christians and
other vulnerable minorities in Gujarat.


   The Resolution, which was introduced in the
Congress on March 16, 2005 and referred to the House
International Relations committee, condemns Modi and
his state government for ìpromoting attitudes of
racial supremacy, racial hatred, and the legacy of
Nazism through his government's support of school
textbooks in which Nazism is glorifiedî.


   The Resolution also cites ìhundreds of attacks on
Christian leaders, worshipers, and churches throughout
India, including killings, torture, rape and
harassment of church staff, destruction of church
property, and disruption of church eventsî among other
human rights violations and ìcondemns the conduct of
Chief Minister Narendra Modi for condoning or inciting
bigotry and intolerance against any religious group in
India, including people of the Christian and Islamic
faithsî.


   Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the House
Judiciary Committee and the Dean of the Congressional
Black Caucus, representing all the Black members in
Congress, charged: "Mr Modi has not been shy about
proudly professing his anti-Christian, anti-Muslim and
anti-tribal stances. He has repeatedly dehumanized the
Muslim population of his state by accusing them of
treachery; he has actively sought to interfere in the
practice of the Christian faith in Gujarat, and he has
caused wide-scale displacement of indigenous
populations in the State in the face of stiff popular
resistanceî.


   Pitts, a member of the India Caucus and the
Congressional Human Rights Caucus, said, "Our
Government should speak with one voice in condemning
these policies and the actions of the Modi
administration that have led to the death, torture and
imprisonment of thousands in Gujaratî. He further
added, ìIndia is too strong an ally for us to stand
idly by while extremists undermine its commitment to
democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.  This
resolution is the least we can do to support India's
efforts to protect religious and ethnic minorities
within its bordersî.


    Coalition Against Genocide is a coalition of over
35 organizations that have come together to promote
pluralism and tolerance and voice their opinion
against sectarian politics in India. Members of CAG
include organizations representing a diversity of
faiths, ethnicities and ideologies. It includes
womenís groups, human rights organizations, and
representatives of Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Sikh
communities as well as organizations of secular
persuasion.