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Eni Faleomavaega, member of a US House of Representatives sub-committee on Asia and Pacific, has said he will not support a resolution in the House of Representatives that asks the US government to deny a visa to Modi on grounds of religious freedom violations. Faleomavaega is a non-voting delegate to US House of Representatives. He has in the past also argued in favour of Modi.
“I highly doubt [that the resolution] will ever see floor action again. However, the timing of the resolution is unfortunate as it unintentionally invokes the name of the US House of Representatives for purposes of influencing India’s upcoming elections,” Faleomavaega said.
The US government, however, in the past has maintained that it will evaluate Modi’s application after he applies for a visa. They have refused to commit on his candidature, prior to Modi applying for a visa. Modi has not applied for a US visa since 2005, when it was revoked by the US.
Faleomavaega argued that since the Supreme Court of India and its Special Investigation Team has not found any evidence against Modi, the US should shift its attitude and engage in a dialogue with Modi, as the European Union and the United Kingdom have done. He added that if the US did not clarify its stance on Modi’s visa application soon, then the Gujarat chief minister should decline to travel to the US after he becomes the prime minister.
In 2005, Modi was denied a diplomatic visa and his tourist and business visa was revoked under the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes a foreign government official responsible for severe violations of religious freedom ineligible for a travel document.
