The US can no longer drag its feet but grant visa to a national leader of the stature of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi sooner than later, BJP president Rajnath Singh said on Monday.
Addressing a community reception hosted by Overseas Friends of BJP (OF-BJP) here, Mr Singh praised Mr Modi as a leader with national appeal, saying the US will have to give him a visa sooner than later.
“They will have to do it one day, if not now. If they do it now, it will be better,” he said.
The meeting held at the TV Asia auditorium was telecast live by the channel. Mr Singh, who is on a five-day US visit, said he will be taking up the issue with the US legislators in Washington and he expected America to revoke Mr Modi’s visa ban soon.
“I do not need to praise the Gujarat chief minister... the whole world has praised Modi’s performance. Look at the paradox. The research paper of an agency of America admired chief minister Modi’s governance and achievements, but the government has been denying visa to the same man,” he said.
The US government first denied Mr Modi a visa in 2005 over allegations that his government did nothing to control the 2002 Godhra riots.