 "US envoy Nancy Powell calls on Narendra Modi")
The meeting is seen as the US’ softening of its stance on the CM nine years after he was denied visa because of his administration’s poor handling of the 2002 riots that claimed at least 1,000 lives in the state.
Modi has been receiving flak on the issue. Last year, the Wharton India Economic Forum had, at the eleventh hour, withdrawn its invitation to Modi to speak at the forum through live video, following a petition from a group of university faculty and students.
But after the United Kingdom began re-engaging with Modi in March 2013, the European Union followed suit.
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, Modi has been lobbying aggressively with non-resident Indians across the globe, especially in the US. He has had a series of interactive meetings through video conferencing with the Indian diaspora in the US. Due to Modi’s increasing popularity among the Indian business community, members of the US Congress were prompted to meet the Gujarat chief minister a couple of times last year.
The US embassy, however, downplayed the meeting with Modi, calling it part of their outreach programme. “US Ambassador Nancy J Powell today (on Thursday) met with Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar. This meeting was part of the US Mission’s outreach to senior leaders of India’s major political parties in advance of the upcoming national elections,” said an official statement by the US embassy.
“During her visit to Gujarat, Ambassador Powell will meet with representatives from non-governmental organisations and US and Indian businesses. Her discussions focus on the importance of the US-India relationship, regional security issues, human rights, and American trade and investment in India.”
“The United States and India are moving forward with a strategic partnership that is broad and deep. Starting last November, Ambassador Powell has shared and listened to views on the US-India relationship. She continues to emphasise that the US-India partnership is important and strategic, and that the United States looks forward to working closely with the government that the Indian people choose in the upcoming elections.”
Powell was accompanied by US Consul-General Peter Hass and other officials. In the hour-long meeting, the two talked on various issues, including investment of US companies in Gujarat, business relations, human rights and socio-economic conditions, sources in the chief minister’s office said. The visa issue was not discussed at the meeting, they added.
Modi told Powell his party was committed to further strengthening Indo-US ties, an official release from the chief minister’s office said.
Modi and Powell discussed how to strengthen the strategic tie between India and US in the current global scenario and how to increase mutual cooperation, it added.
Modi informed Powell that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had laid foundation for strategic partnership between Indian and the US. He further talked about the peace initiatives by Vajpayee government with regard to neighbouring countries, including Pakistan.
The statement further said Modi expressed concern over the Devyani Khobragade episode and hoped for speedy and permanent solution to the issue. Powell ensured the US government was committed to resolving the issue at the earliest. Modi said, "To strengthen strategic partnership between the two nations we need to ensure that such events do not happen again."
Suggesting the need for global mechanism to fight terrorism, Modi said perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack be brought to book, the release added.
The statement claimed Powell was impressed with various developmental initiatives taken by the state government and changes they had brought about in the society.
"Decision-making was speedy in Gujarat along with transparency in administration. Hence, US industrialists were happy in the state," the statement quoted Powell as saying.
She further suggested that Chiranjivi Scheme of the state government promoting institutional delivery and child health care could be replicated in other countries also, the statement added.
According to the release, Powell had discussed about the economic condition in Afghanistan and need for training for women there. Modi suggested that the Gujarat dairy cooperative model could boost rural economy of Afghanistan. Powell welcomed the suggestion and ensured that she would move further in that regards.
Later, Powell met leaders of the Gujarat Congress, including leader of the opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela, state party president Arjun Modhwadia and senior leader Siddharth Patel.
Vaghela said Powell's visit was a routine one, primarily to asses and gather information on the political scenario of the state since Gujarat has assumed importance in the national politics. “We had a discussion on various broad issues for nearly 50 minutes,” he said.
The Congress leader said the US envoy was interested in knowing what could be the possible scenario in Gujarat after the elections. She also wanted to know about human rights, judicial system and other social indicators in Gujarat. She was also interested in the Sir Creek issue between India and Pakistan.
On visa issue, Vaghela said, “She did not utter a single word about the visa issue.” Vaghela, however, said like any citizen of India, Modi should also be given a visa by the US.
Vaghela said he informed Powell about the human rights situation in Gujarat and how a flawed model of development in the state was being projected by the ruling party. “I told the US ambassador that when over two dozen policemen of a state are in prisons over charges of fake police encounters, what can be said about the human rights situation,” Vaghela told reporters.