Why Americans prefer Modi and not
Kejriwal?
The U.S. has ended the boycott of Gujarat Chief
Minister Narendra Modi. But its 2005 decision to refuse him a visa remains
unchanged. Modi’s then existing tourist/business visa was revoked under
sections of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act that make any foreign
government official who was “responsible for or directly carried out, at any
time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom” ineligible for a
visa; his then proposed travel plan to the U.S. was declared “not for a purpose
that qualified for a diplomatic visa”. It is clear that if Washington needs to
reverse its stand on the visa question, it will do that too.
Modi has been absolved by an investigation team of
any direct role in the Gujarat riots in which more than 1,000 people, mainly
Muslims, were killed; the clean chit has been accepted by a trial court. That
could be one of the reasons why America has chosen to support him.
Another reason for the US offering an olive branch
to Modi could be because there is a big rich Indian group including the Friends
of BJP whose support the Democrats want. These groups have in the past
supported the Republicans.
The United States feels that it has to appease Modi
as he is viewed by many Indians as the most competent prospective helmsman of
India.
Americans are well known for their deft
moves in the arena of International politics. The move comes only on the
expected lines as now it is palpable that this man has the nearest possibility
of forming next Government in the Union. Also, the United States cannot afford
to strain its engagement with India in the near future to sustain its hegemony
in the South Asian region given the robust economic advancement of China
Modi had addressed in one of the public meeting, in
response to denial of visa to America, “Americans denied my visa to America
today but I will create 1000 Americas in Gujarat so that Americans will visit
Gujarat”. This statement by Modi must have impressed the Americans. Americans
are smart enough to recognize merit and necessity across the globe, and it is
not exception in the case of Narendra Modi.
Some compare the US engagement with Taliban or
Muslim Brotherhood in the same line with Modi. Do the Americans view Bharatiya
Janata Party as a Hindu organization comparable with those Muslim communal
groups?
One question that arises is why Americans don’t
prefer to support Arvind Kejriwal in his pursuit to occupy the Prime Minister’s
seat just to eliminate corruption from the soil of India? If Americans are
really concerned about the entire Indians then they would appreciate the
mission of completely wiping off corruption that Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi
Party strongly believe in. If Americans had the interest of majority Indians in
mind they would have supported Kejriwal. But if they have their own selfish
interest in mind, then supporting Modi is the right stand that they have taken.
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