 Right-wing Hindu leader Narendra Modi has called off a planned visit to Britain this week because of opposition there to his trip, Indian television news channel Aajtak reported yesterday. Modi, the chief minister of India's Gujarat state who has been accused of complicity in the killing of over 2,000 Muslims in riots in 2002, had been due to leave for London today.
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British groups were planning to hold protests during his visit, the television channel said. Indian news agencies said the move followed apprehensions his security could be breached. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and federal Home Minister Shivraj Patil telephoned him late at night and persuaded him not to leave for London. They told him that the government had information that he would face security risks during his visit, the agencies said. Modi was to inaugurate the "Vibrant Gujarat" function at the Royal Albert Hall in London in a bid to attract foreign investment to the state. However, several organizations, including the South Asia Solidarity Group and AWAAZ had announced their decision to organize protests outside the hall. Last week the United States refused Modi a visa to address a convention of the Asian American Hotel Owners' Association in Florida. US Ambassador David Mulford said this was because he belonged to a category of "foreign government officials responsible for, or (who) directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violation of religious freedom". |