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India urges US to reconsider denial of visa to Modi

     New Delhi: The Indian government on Friday summoned the deputy chief of mission of the Embassy of the United States of America, Robert Blake, with regard to Washington rejecting visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Informed sources at the Ministry of External Affairs said that Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran met Blake and told him to urge Washington to review the decision. Sources said that Saran had also told Blake that the Indian government was concerned about the matter, and had described the step as regrettable Blake said that he would convey the Indian government's concerns to his government.

      Modi, who was due to visit the United States at the end of the month, on the other hand, hit out at the US for revoking his visa, saying it amounted to an "insult" to India and reflected Washington's effort to show this country in "poor light." He asked the Central government to "rise above political considerations" and intervene in the matter. He also said that he would be writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard. Earlier, in a stinging snub to Modi, the United States denied him a diplomatic visa and revoked his tourist-cum-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      Modi has been denied diplomatic visa and his tourist-cum-business visa, already granted, has also been revoked under a section of US Immigration and Nationality Act, a spokesman of the US Embassy said here. 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 the 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 "His tourist/business visa was revoked under section 212 (a) (2) (g) of the Act which makes any government official who was responsible for or directly carried out at any time, particularly severe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.

      Meanwhile, the BJP also reacted sharply to denial of visa by the US to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi saying it was "unwarranted" and had caused "insult" to the entire nation. The party asked the Central government to intervene in the matter and make a statement, particularly clarifying whether it was done "in its knowledge". "Granting visa is the sovereign right of any state but the manner in which it was done and reasons given (for denial of visa to Modi) are unacceptable," senior BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha told reporters here. Sinha said the Central government should take up this issue "strongly" with the US Embassy and government. "Modi was going to the US on an invitation from Gujarati community. The US Administration has come to the conclusion without checking facts with Gujarat government. This is unwarranted," Sinha said. Party Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said denial of visa to the elected head of a state government was an "insult to the entire nation."

Musharraf's family relive memories of pre-Partition Aligarh (Go To Top)

     Aligarh/Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh): After visiting their Nehar Wali Haveli in Old Delhi on Thursday, where she spent many years before the partition of India, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's mother Zarin, and her grandson Bilal, travelled to Aligarh on Friday to visit Zarin's alma mater, the Aligarh Muslim University. It was virtually a walk down memory lane for Begum Zarin, now confined to a wheel chair. A large crowd of people, students and teaching alumnus gathered to greet the dignitaries Begum Zarin termed her tour to India as an unforgettable experience. "It is an unforgettable visit. This time will always remain in my mind. It will be always fresh. I will never forget the innocent expression of children and people. It brings tears into my eyes. I will miss you all," Zarin told reporters.

       Earlier, Bilal offered a holy cloth at the mausoleum of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, from where his grandmother had graduated. Zarin, married to Syed Musharraf-ud-din, had left India with young Pervez during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 She retired in 1987 after working with the International Labour Organisation. Meanwhile, Musharraf's cousins in Lucknow are waiting with open arms for their relatives from across the border to arrive. "Our grandmothers were sisters and our fathers were very good friends. The two families had very good relations," said Sidrat Ansari, Musharraf's cousin. While Musharraf and former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee didn't quite see eye to eye during the Agra summit in 2001, Sidrat had a very memorable time with his cousin the last time they got together in the city. "He met us very nicely and I told him that if he befriends India, he'll be able to find more of his relations here," said Ansari.

      Sidrat Ansari's father Hayatullah Ansari was the founder of the famous Urdu newspaper Quami Awaaz and was also a literary figure. He is no more, but Sidrat is once again looking forward to meeting his high-profile relatives from across the border. Sidrat said that his family has fond memories of his sister and Musharraf's mother, Begum Zarin visiting them on holidays when she was studying in nearby Aligarh. "The partition of India has been one of the saddest chapters of the history. It is a very painful memory for us. Our family also got divided because of this. If Musharraf would not have become the President of Pakistan, we could have never got to know about him," he said. Sidrat's son Amaan, who met Musharraf during his visit to New Delhi, said contrary to his tough image, Musharraf is an easy going person. "Before meeting him I thought as he is a military general, he would be a tough taskmaster. But I found him to be a very easy going and casual person," he said.

     Ansaris would meet Zarin and Musharraf's son Bilal, who are currently in India and are likely to call on them before heading for Kolkata to watch the ongoing second cricket test between India and Pakistan. Zarin, married to Syed Musharraf-ud-din, in Old Delhi, had left India with young Pervez during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. Meanwhile, Musharraf is likely to visit India for the last one- day match of the current series on April 17. It would be his first visit to India since the Agra summit in 2001. Last week, India invited Musharraf to watch a cricket match after he expressed the desire through a newspaper, raising prospects of a fresh boost to a slow-moving peace process between the nuclear- armed rivals.

Congress tries to bury Kerala hatchet (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: In an effort to bury the brewing rebellion and to resolve the crisis in ruling Congress in Kerala, the Union Minister for Human Resources, Arjun Singh met the veteran Congress leader from Kerala K Karunakaran. Several other senior leaders are also going to meet the leader to pacify him. The two met at Karunakaran's residence and held a closed-door meeting for about half an hour. It is being speculated that the two discussed the present crisis triggered by the regional strongman's decision to hold zonal rallies across the state despite the party high command's directive to the contrary. The former Chief Minister of Kerala is also scheduled to meet the Congress chief, Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and party general secretary and in-charge of Kerala, Ahmed Patel today. The old warhorse of Congress in Kerala, Karuna, is up in arms against the Chief Minister, Ooman Chandy. He has demaded for the removal of Chandy from the post time and again. Karunakaran's son and party leader Muraleedharan was recently suspended from the party for organizing a rally on March 9 in Kozikhode in which the participating activists shouted slogans against Chief Minister Oomen Chandy for his dictatorial style of functioning. "It is not a rally against the party leadership or meant for effecting a split in the rally, but to press for our demand for organisational elections," said Muraleedharan, son of Karunakaran. Veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran and his son K. Muraleedharan have reportedly hinted at breaking ties with the Congress and forming a new party in Kerala.

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