US lawmakers critical of House resolution on India

The House resolution also urges the US Government to continue its policy to not to grant visa to Modi

A powerful Republican lawmaker has come out openly against a House resolution on religious freedom and human rights in India, arguing that it would weaken bilateral ties.

The House Resolution (No 417) among other things urges the US Government to continue its policy to not to grant visa to Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

"H Res 417 weakens, rather than strengthens, the friendship between the US and India. The resolution runs counter to all the hard work that the American people, particularly those in the Indian American community, have done to improve the relationship," said Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the powerful House Foreign Relations Committee.

In a statement issued through US India Political Action Committee, an Indian American lobbying group, Royce did not mention Modi, but openly expressed his resentment against the resolution which was introduce in the House on November 18.

The total number of co-sponsors to this resolution has increased to 28, latest figures said.

Congressmen Keith Ellison from the Democratic Party and Joe Pitts from the Republican Party were the original co-sponsored of the resolution, which among other things also called on India to protect the rights and freedoms of religious minorities and asked the US government to include the matter as part of bilateral the Strategic Dialogue.

In another statement, Ranking Member Eni Faleomavaega of the Subcommittee on Asia and Pacific - which has broad jurisdiction for US foreign policy affecting the region, including India - said that he will not support H Res 417.

"I highly doubt H Res 417 will ever see Floor action. However, the timing of the Resolution is unfortunate as it unintentionally invokes the name of the US House of Representatives for purposes of influencing India's upcoming elections," Faleomavaega said.

Describing the resolution as "flawed" as it blames only Hindu nationalism for communal violence, the HAF said in a mass email urging Hindu-Americans to approach their Congressman not to co-sponsor the resolution.

A similar campaign was launched by Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) - a broader coalition of like-minded secular and Muslim groups in the US - urging Indian-Americans to approach their lawmakers to co-sponsor the resolution.