A delegation comprising US parliamentarians and businessmen today called on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who has been denied visa by that country after the 2002 riots.
An 18-member delegation, led by Republican Congressmen from Illinois Aaron Schock, today arrived here at the official residence of Modi around noon, following their visit to Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad and held over an hour-long closed-door meeting with him and high ranking state officials.
While welcoming the US delegation, Modi spoke about the fast and inclusive, environment-friendly process of development in Gujarat, an official statement issued here said. "With hard work, we have been able to create an impact in the country," Modi said.
During the interaction, Schock pointed out that the people in US were keen to work with Gujarat and that they were impressed by the way the state has facilitated investment. As per the official press release Schock state that there was enormous potential to work together with Gujarat.
It may be recalled that following Modi's fourth consecutive victory in the 2012 Assembly Elections Schock had made a statement, congratulating Modi, on the floor of the US House of Representatives.
Modi has been denied visa by the US following the 2002 riots. However, whether the visa issue was discussed during today's meeting, was not known.
The delegation is visiting India to promote 'People to People Contacts and Diplomacy' along with the Overseas Friends of BJP's (OFBJP) 'Global Community Overreach Programme'.
This is a joint initiative by US based National Indian- American Public Policy Institute and India based Delhi Study Group.
Business sector representatives in the delegation has been led by Illinois-based Punjabi NRI businessman and Overseas Friends of BJP member Shalabh Kumar. Other US Parliamentarians in the delegation included Cynthia Lummis (Republican Congresswoman from Wyoming) and Cathy M Rodgers (Republican Congresswoman from Washington state).
