Friday, March 25 2005 14:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was denied visa by the US, yesterday (Mar 24, 2005) invited Florida Governor Jeb Bush, US President George Bush's brother, to visit Gujarat.

"Gujarat will make efforts to welcome him and show what love and hospitality means," Modi said in an address via satellite to the Asian-American Hotel Owners' Association (AAHOA) convention at Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

On March 20, he had addressed the Indian-American community at Madison Square Garden, New Jersey, from Gandhinagar via satellite after the US denied him diplomatic visa for his Government's role in the post-Godhra riots.

"I am able to speak to you (AAHOA) not just because of technology but because of your association's determination to uphold democratic values and because of your ability to ignore motivated propaganda", he said.