Modi invokes Mahatma to warn America

Times of India ^ | MARCH 20, 2005

[NCjim]

AHMEDABAD: In a stinging attack on the US on Sunday, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi claimed that the Bush administration revoked his visa because it was perturbed about economic reasons like the fact that the "oil pipeline from Iran would pass through Gujarat" and because he had signed an MoU with gas-rich Astrakhan, a part of the erstwhile USSR. He said that the US was afraid all this would lead to Gujarat, and in turn India, becoming an economic power.

Comparing himself to the Mahatma, Modi, in a thinly disguised attempt warned the US government by saying: "A man from Gujarat was thrown out of a train in South Africa. This led to a movement that overthrew the British empire. Modi added, let us pledge to work for such a day that an American would have to stand in line for entry into Gujarat.

Modi's statement caused consternation in Ahmedabad, with analysts pointing out that five lakh Gujaratis lived and did business in the US. "The US is the mecca for a lot of Gujaratis. Baiting the US is not a good idea at all," said a top state industrialist. He wondered what PM Manmohan Singh would have to say to all this.

Casting aspersions on the Bush administration, Modi said that the US' intelligence gathering skills were rather poor. "The WTC attack was a glaring example. The country was caught napping. The US is weilding the stick on selective information gathered by its network. It seems the same yardstick has been applied in my case," said Modi.

[thrust]

fuel is a big big problem in this world.On top of that,the worst possible countries are oil rich(the entire gulf,venezuela,nigeria etc).There is no other option for india but to get oil and gas from iran.But the terrain through which the pipeline is going to pass is something to bother about + paying the pakis a lot of transit fee(which is ultimately goin to be used to buy weapons against india)is not worth it.We can have a pipeline underwater bypassing pakiland but would be more expensive .

[libertarian_indian]

This false campaign was carried out by CAIR. By all means, support CAIR and believe whatever they say. This decision was based on fabricated claims by Islamic fundamentalists and Communists. Communists on their mailing lists are thrilled and repeatedly refer to Americans a "those useful idiots."

You are either with Modi on this issue or with CAIR

It is sad that the administration has chosen to go with Communists and ignore the peace loving Hindus.