Friday, March 18 2005 13:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Congress today (Mar 18, 2005) said Chief Minister Narendra Modi's "hand in Gujarat riots" resulted in denial of visa by the US to him.

"Modi is the Chief Minister of Gujarat and he represents the entire cross section of the State. People the world over know that he has been involved in human rights violation by orchestrating the Gujarat riots of 2002," Leader of Opposition and Congress leader in State Assembly Arjun Modhvadia told reporters in Ahmedabad.

"The denial of visa is the direct fallout of his tainted image," Modhvadia said adding, "riot cases registered against his Government have also been responsible for the denial of the visa."

"I have nothing personal against Modi securing a visa to the US. But what has happened is the result of his image after the riots," he said.

Modi was scheduled to address Asian-American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) in Fort Lauderade, Florida, a public meeting in New York and meet business leaders during his US visit from March 20.

Earlier in the day, a spokesman of the US Embassy at New Delhi had announced that Modi has been denied diplomatic visa and his tourist/business visa already granted has also been revoked under a section of US Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibits anybody who was "responsible for or directly carried out at anytime, particularly severe violations of religious freedom."