Modi said that during his meeting with US offic ials, they discussed various issues related to Gujarat including the 2002 riots and development in the state.
Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has expressed his happiness over the latest WikiLeaks cable on his meeting with the US Consul General. Talking to the media after the inauguration ceremony of an International Seminar on Water for Inclusive Growth at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU), Gandhinagar today, the CM said that he was happy with the honest reporting of his conversation with US officials.
Reacting to the WikiLeaks cable revealing his meeting with then US Consul General Michael Owen, Modi said that during his meeting with US officials, they discussed various issues related to Gujarat including the 2002 riots and development in the state.
He said, “We discussed many issues relating to Gujarat. As far as Gujarat is concerned, the state is developing at a rapid rate and US also believes that Gujarat can progress rapidly.”
Talking about human rights issues relating to Gujarat, the CM said, “When they were discussing human rights violations with me, I — a son of India and connected with India’s prestige and glory — had told them, looking right into their eyes, that America should not advise us on human rights. I countered, ‘what had US done in the field of human rights violation?’” The CM further said, “This talk has been revealed in the WikiLeaks cable and I feel good that they have reported it honestly.”
Referring to his 'incorruptible' image described by the US officials in the cable, Modi said, "They have reported after all kinds of investigations that Modi is incorruptible. If a person is incorrupt it's a different thing, but the US officials have sent the report on the basis of feedback received by various people that Modi is incorruptible." The WikiLeaks cable has mentioned that the Consul General had met Modi on November 16, 2006. It was the first such meeting since Modi's US visa was revoked in 2005.
According to a report citing WikiLeaks cables, US diplomats found themselves in 2006 facing the possibility of Modi assuming a leadership role at the national level. Owen in his cable emphasized the need for the US to open interaction with Modi.
Such interaction, Owen said in the cable, "will also shield us from accusations of opportunism from the BJP that would invariably arise if we ignored Modi now but sought a dialogue with him in the likely event that he makes it to the national stage." To a question on alleged US interference in Indian internal affairs as suggested in the leaked US diplomatic cables over issue of appointment of Pranab Mukherjee as Finance Minister, Modi said, "Government of India should address the issue of American interference in internal matters of India."
The Mumbai Consulate's assessment, which was cleared by the New Delhi Embassy, said, "If Modi does eventually get a national leadership role in the BJP in the foreseeable future, the USG will be obliged to decide how it wants to deal with a figure of national prominence whose B1/B2 we revoked."
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