Modi's US visit and a boycotting Congress

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, member of the House of Representatives, has become the latest addition to the list of Congresspersons boycotting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s joint-address to the Congress.

In her tweet, she stated that an invitation to a joint-address is the most prestigious opportunity a statesperson can be accorded by the Congress, and providing such to a leader accused of human rights violations is against American principles.

Apart from AOC, representatives Rashida Tlaib and Irhan Omar have announced their boycott of the joint-address as well.

On June 20, House of Representatives member, Pramila Jayapal, and Senate member, Chris Van Hollen, led a bicameral letter asking US President, Joe Biden, to raise the human rights violations question with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 75 Congresspeople had signed the letter.

Bernie Sanders, one of the prime signatories of the letter, tweeted on June 21, “ "Prime Minister Modi's government has cracked down on the press and civil society, jailed political opponents, and pushed an aggressive Hindu nationalism that leaves little space for India's religious minorities. President Biden should raise these facts in his meeting with Modi."

Earlier, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), had recommended the Biden administration to flag India as a 'country of particular concern' owing to a steep decline in religious freedom. Moreover, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, had said, on April 12, 2022, that the US was "monitoring some recent concerning developments in India, including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police, and prison officials."

American citizens, belonging both to the Indian diaspora and otherwise, have taken to the streets to protest against the self-proclaimed Vishwaguru's arrival in the US. A particular LED Screen truck had been seen travelling across the lengths of New York demanding Biden to ask Modi a couple of questions such as— "Why is Umar Khalid still inside jail after 1000 days without hearing?" and a "Did You Know, mob lynchings against Muslims, Christians and Dalits have surged under Modi’s rule. With almost no accountability.”

The Indian diaspora has also announced a protest at the Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, on June 22. US-based human rights group, Hindus for Human Rights, have also come through with a protest toolkit to enable the protestors protest peacefully and “exercise their first amendment rights and do so safely”.

A Pew Survey conducted during March 20 to 26 had found out that around 51 per cent Americans held a positive opinion on Indians, however, Narendra Modi remains an almost unknown figure among them. The survey revealed that only about 40 per cent of Americans knew about Narendra Modi.

It maybe has been all hue and cry about the “Vishwaguru” with nothing to show for.