Rashid Alvi suggests Modi may better settle in United States

Congress leader Rashid Alvi reacted on Wednesday to the alleged letters sent by Members of Parliament to President Barack Obama urging him to stay the ban on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the matter is an internal one of the United States.

"I am unable to understand what is the motive behind it. How can you write down a letter to President Obama not to issue (a) visa to a certain person? It is the internal matter of the United States. If Narendra Modiji has been given a visa to America, it is not a very important thing. Why should we bother about it whether he is visiting to United States or he is not visiting to the United States, United States is granting him a visa or not, what concern (do) we have?" Alvi said here today.

Alvi used the opportunity to take a jibe at Modi saying "We are tolerating him in India. It is better (that) he settles down in the United States."

After reports had emerged that 65 Members of Parliament had sent a letter to President Obama, several alleged signatories had denied having signed the letter causing extreme doubts over the authenticity of the documents.

Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was the first to come out and deny that he had ever signed any such letter. He was followed by KP Ramalingam of the DMK, who also claimed forgery.

These letters to President Obama have become the central political focus as the BJP spokesperson had said earlier today that the incident seeks "A third umpire in the USA" for a political match at home.

The letters were provided by the Indian American Muslim Council(IAMC) as Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh reached Washington to meet US lawmakers, think tanks and government officials. Singh is also expected to urge the American administration to lift the ban on Modi's visa to the country.