The US yesterday said that if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi applies for a visa his application will be considered in accordance with the American immigration law and policy.

“If (the Gujarat) Chief Minister Modi applies for a visa, his application will be considered to determine whether he qualifies for a visa, in accordance with US immigration law and policy,” State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki, told reporters at her daily news conference.

“Our policy on this has not changed,” Psaki said when asked about the Modi’s US visa application.

“I think I just said we will consider his application if he applies, and I’m not going to get ahead of where we are at this time,” she reiterated, when asked for the second time during the news conference.

“But as you know, we don’t talk about the specifics of that process or individual cases, but he would, of course, be considered if he were to apply,” Psaki said.

The State Department’s remarks came as the visiting BJP president Rajnath Singh was winding up his three-day hectic visit to Washington, during which he met a host of US lawmakers, think tanks and academicians.

Singh, told the Indian-American media here, that he did not raise the issue of Modi’s visa with the US.

He said that this is an issue for the US Government to take a call on.

“This is not our issue. This is an issue for US Administration,” he said.

Responding to a question, Singh said Modi is a “very very” popular leader of the country.

The State Department’s remarks also came amid controversy over the issue of 65 MPs writing to US President Barack Obama urging the US Administration to maintain the current policy of denying visa to Modi.

40 Lok Sabha and 25 Rajya Sabha MPs were reported to have written to Obama on the visa issue.

BJP has demanded a probe into the matter.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW