A US federal court in New York summoned Indian Prime Minister Naredra Singh Modi on Thursday in connection with a lawsuit accusing him of human rights abuses during religious riots in 2002 that tore through Gujarat, the state he then led.
The summons came a day before Modi’s much-touted five-day US visit and requires him to respond within 21 days.
However, the case will not distract from his visit to the US, a senior administration official said yesterday, adding that sitting heads of government enjoy immunity from US legal suits.
“I do not think there is any fear of the two governments being distracted,” the official said during a conference call with journalists on Modi’s visit to the US, which started yesterday, reports Reuters.
“While we cannot comment specifically on this lawsuit, I can tell you that as a general legal principle, sitting heads of government enjoy immunity from suits in American courts,” the official said.
The summons is not likely to have any concrete effect on his visit, which includes high-profile events with President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph R Biden, Jr and numerous other political and corporate leaders.
An attorney acting on behalf of Modi and the Indian government could seek to have the case dismissed, leaving a judge to decide the matter in several months.
But it is a reminder that the US government at the time believed that Modi had acted too slowly to stop the riots and that, in 2005, it took the rare step of putting him under a visa ban, which remains in place.
As it became clear that Modi was likely to become prime minister, the US has sought to set that history aside, build a relationship with him and use the change of governments to deepen both trade and defence cooperation with India.
Latest on Modi’s tour
After an overnight transit halt in Frankfurt, The Indian prime minister left yesterday for his maiden visit to the US, during which he will address the UN General Assembly, have a summit-level meeting with President Obama and meet top American corporate honchos besides a series of other engagements. Observers are keenly watching the visit.
He will also address a rally at the famous Madison Square Garden, which is likely to be attended by around 20,000 people from the Indian-American community.
Describing America as India’s “natural global partner,” Modi yesterday said the complementary strengths of the two democracies can be used for inclusive and broad-based development to transform lives across the globe.
“The US is our natural global partner. India and the US embody the enduring and universal relevance of their shared values,” Modi wrote in an op-ed in the The Wall Street Journal.
Modi, who in a recent TV interview expressed hope about better India-US ties, also said the thriving Indian-American community in the US was a metaphor for the potential of India-US partnership, and for the possibilities of an environment that nurtures enterprise and rewards hard work.
He added that the two countries had a fundamental stake and many shared interests in each other’s success.