Posted on 05/16/2014 9:48:09 AM PDT by MBT ARJUN
The White House welcomed the overwhelming victory of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha polls, offering its congratulations to the BJP on its “historic” win and assuring, “We look forward to working with [the new Indian government] once formed to advance our partnership.”
However, while numerous world leaders, including Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Australia’s Tony Abbott reportedly called Mr. Modi to personally congratulate him, U.S. President Barack Obama had not yet done so, at the time this story was filed, at around 11am on Friday Eastern Standard Time.(Here's the catch)
An official at the White House’s National Security Council press office told The Hindu that there was “nothing further to announce” at this point in terms of whether and when Mr. Obama would reach out to Mr. Modi. The President’s daily schedule sent to media did not include any agenda item for a call with Mr. Modi.
The U.S. has, since 2005, denied Mr. Modi an entry visa on the grounds that he has been linked to curtailments of religious freedom in the context of the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Some groups in the U.S. drew attention to the visa and Gujarat riots issue on Friday, and the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), an umbrella group focusing on justice and accountability for the pogrom said that it “pledged to continue its struggle with renewed fervour in the wake of the election results in India.”
CAG Spokesperson Raja Swamy underscored Mr. Modi’s alleged links to the RSS cautioning that “During this election campaign, RSS leaders have been openly raking up contentious issues, posing a threat to communal harmony and increasing the prospect of violence against minorities.”
Reactions to the BJP’s stronger-than-anticipated victory in the elections, which became evident during the early hours of Friday local time, were nevertheless broadly positive.
New York Democratic Congressman and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, said, in a statement “From Kerala to Jaipur, from Mumbai to Kolkata, the power of democracy was on display throughout the country. I applaud India’s commitment to the democratic process and wish the Indian people and government the very best.”
Sanjay Puri, Chairman of the U.S. India Political Action Committee similarly said, “On behalf of the Indian-American community and friends of India in the U.S., USINPAC extends its warm congratulations to Narendra Modi for leading the BJP to a spectacular victory in these historic elections in India.”
Emphasising that Indian-Americans were “heartened to note that the BJP will have single party majority in the Parliament,” he added, “The Indian Diasporas and friends of India in the U.S. … cheer and send our best of wishes to the people of India, and the leadership of Mr. Modi.”
The Confederation of Indian Industry, which has spearheaded numerous efforts to boost India’s profile as an investor in the U.S. economy and a destination for U.S. investments, welcomed the election results with an eye on the prospects for accelerating future economic growth.
Chandrajit Banerjee, CII Director-General, said, “With a decisive mandate, the new government could take the tough decisions that are urgently needed to revive economic growth. The first priority is to get the cleared projects operational. This is the quickest way to revive investment demand.”
He also urged the new government, once formed, to sharpen the focus on “issues arising out of the land acquisition act and the new companies act,” and passing a “strong reform package… to generate the 150 million new jobs that India needs over the next ten years.”
Good news for the closest allies that US Conservatives have in India, I hear!
Has he sent back the bust of Mahatma Gandhi yet?
We know why. Modi doesn’t approve of sodomy or islamism. Obama’s two hobbies.
Good news for the closest allies that US Conservatives have in India, I hear!
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Thank you. That explains Obamugabe’s reluctance to make a call to Modi.
This is big for gold and silver!!!!!
It’s Friday. Is Bammy already on the golf course?
“Obama’s two hobbies.”
Three. Smoking dope.
For Obama, he’s the wrong kind of Indian.
Rahm’s a homosexual per his police detail. Who else in the WH is trapped in perversion of one sort or another.
The 2002 Gujarat riots: A train carrying some Hindu activists gets torched. 59 people, including 25 women and 25 children, were burned to death.
Hindus respond with three days of rioting, resulting in the deaths of 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus.
Muslims get all upset, whine to UN and US State Dept.
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