US Congressmen invite Modi, will work with govt for visa

A high-profile American delegation, comprising parliamentarians and businessmen, today met Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was denied visa by the US over the issue of post-Godhra riots, here and invited him to visit their country.
Members of the delegation praised the Gujarat Chief Minister and his efforts to transform the state's economy.
Modi had been denied visa by the US since 2005 due to allegations of mishandling of the 2002 riots against his government.
"We have extended an invitation to the Chief Minister Modi and requested him to show us there what he has achieved here in his state," US Congressman from Illinois Aaron Schock told reporters here.

Asked if this invitation meant that the US State Department had changed its stand over the issue of visa to Modi, Schock said "obviously it is a matter of the United States administration but we, along with other Republican lawmakers, will work in that direction with the US administration."
"We have invited him to the US to show us some of what he has done here in the state. We were impressed with what we have seen here, specially with his statement of 'minimum government, maximum governance'. And as a Congressman of the Republican Party, I also believe in limited government," he said.