US Congressman Petition US Visa Revoke for Modi
September 20, 2012 – A campaign to revoke US Congressman Petition US Visa Revoke for Modie USA visa ban on Modi is now being mounted by a United States Congressman.
US Congressman Joe Walsh has mounted recently a campaign to revoke the ban on the issuing of a US visa application to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying in these trying economic times, the US could learn a great deal from the latter.
The Republican Congressman, who represents Illinois’ 8th district from the Chicago area, said; “Mr. Modi has been recognized across the world for his staunch stance against corruption and for making Gujarat a shining example of the successes that pro-growth, limited government policies can create. In the US’s trying economic times, we could learn a great deal from him. Instead of denying him a visa, we should be inviting him to apply.”
In recent months, Congressman Walsh, at the urging of his particularly vocal Indian American constituents, has stepped up his campaign in putting an end to the seven-year-old ban on Modi by writing to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. In a letter dated June 13, 2012, it was stated by Congressman Walsh that the basis on the denial of Mr. Modi’s diplomatic visa was unfounded and is not in compliance with US law.
The ban was imposed on Modi in 2005 during the days when George W. Bush was the President and has been continued by Obama.
According to Walsh, though it was put into effect on grounds of violations of religious freedom under a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act to foreign government officials in the wake of the Gujarat riots of 2002, but due to the fact that the Gujarat CM has never been tried or convicted, so he could not be brought under such law.
Besides, Walsh also said that a visa could be denied to a person only two years even he is convicted from the time of conviction. And in case of Modi, ten years has already passed since the Gujarat riots took place.
However, David S. Adams, Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs at the State Department had countered Walsh, saying the two-year limitation being said by Walsh was already scrapped under a section of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. But, he said that in case Modi would submit a new application, he would be considered under the US law and policy.
Source:
news.oneindia.in
