Giving US visa for Narendra Modi isn’t sign of clean Chet
(Shams Tabraiz Qasmi, India)
Long-term to continue silence
on granting a visa to BJP Prime Ministerial, candidate Narendra Modi US has said
the heads of state and government are eligible for A1 visas and no individual
automatically qualifies for an American visa.
"Heads of state and heads of government are eligible for A1 visa classification
under the INA (Immigration and Nationality Act). No individual automatically
qualifies for a US visa," the State Department Spokesperson, Jen Psaki, told
reporters on Tuesday.
"US law exempts foreign government officials, including heads of state and heads
of government from certain potential inadmissibility grounds," Psaki said when
asked about the possibility of issuing visa to Narendra Modi, BJP's Prime
Ministerial candidate.
Refusing to go into any greater level of detail, Psaki refrained from responding
to direct questions on Modi visa issue, except for saying that the United States
looks forward to working with new Indian government. "We don't talk about visa
applications. We are looking forward to working with the new Indian government
when they are elected. But I am not going to speculate on that given, obviously,
the results haven't been announced yet," she said.
The results of the 16th general elections of India are scheduled to be announced
on May 16. The exit polls have predicted BJP, led by NDA to form the next
government in India.