When it comes to foreign relations, America’s policy is never based on “Human Rights Abuse” or “Religious Persecution” in a country. When White House can host Taliban Leaders in the past it makes it less controversial if they host a known communal and a criminal PM of India, Narendra Modi. US Foreign Relations are purely based on “Economics” and dictated by America’s vast Military and Industrial complex and its MNC’s to profit from the sales of their merchandise. India with its border with 2 enemies; China and Pakistan and a middle class of 350-450 million out of 1.425 billion population is a cash cow to sell high profit margin American War Toys, selective technology, Aircrafts,  and junk food like Beverages, Burgers, Fries, Shakes, Pizzas in India.

For America there are 2 Indias – one with the middle class that is bigger than its own total population of 330 million, and the other is  that they don’t care, with almost 1 billion people. Out of that,  according to PM Modi, his government is providing subsidized food to 800 million every month merely to stay alive. This India is living under the very dark and thick smog of hunger, poverty, unemployment, lack of housing, healthcare, education, basic hygiene, drinking water etc. Surprisingly, it is invisible to well to do rich Indians, Indians abroad  as well as foreigners. American politicians and Media have  never bothered to discuss this India with any Indian PM even if they have an opportunity when they are in America on an “Official State Visit”.

Since 2002 Modi has not held  a Press Conference or an interview within or outside  India with Indian or Foreign Media. His event managers know money is not an issue; so,  they have to create a narrative that looks good to the foreigners and,  after editing, it   can also be used in election campaigns in India.

Modi is a phony Showman with unlimited funds that he spends lavishly on his personal grooming like customized clothing made of exotic fabrics with most expensive accessories, makeup artist etc. Then he can have well organized high tech public Rallies with hired crowds stretching up to 15-25 kilometers in India. The other trait that he has which  no other world leader has,  is to organize well attended public events in foreign countries with 20,000 to 50,000 attendees along with top local & national top-ranking politicians including the President or Prime Minister of that country.

The first narrative specially created for American Public, Politicians and Media, after landing in America on 06-20-23, Modi went to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi near the Indian Embassy i n Washington. For Modi it is a standard ritual;  when in a foreign country, he must pretend to honor Mahatma Gandhi. While in India, the same Modi publicly worships Savarkar,  a British stooge and his follower Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi!

Just on 06-09-23 in India, Modi’s Minister Giriraj Singh termed Nathuram Godse a ‘sapoot’ (worthy son) of India and said the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi was not an invader like Mughal rulers Babar and Aurangzeb as he was born in India. “If Godse was Gandhi’s assassin, he was also a worthy son of India.” And those who feel happy to call themselves children of Babar cannot be true worthy sons of India,”

But Modi, the man who turned Mahatma Gandhi’s spectacles into a logo for Swachh Bharat (Clean India Mission) by rebranding Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (Total Sanitation Program started in 1999 by PM Atal Behari Vajpayee of Modi’s BJP), said nothing and takes no action to pull up his Minister Giriraj Singh for praising Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse.

Giriraj Singh is still a Minister in the Union Cabinet of Modi. In 2018 Singh was named in a case of grabbing land belonging to a Dalit in his native Bihar. When Modi never terminated him for this case; how you can expect Modi to terminate Singh for merely making a statement against Mahatm a Gandhi, who  he also trashes and abuses in all his election rallies. Mahatma Gandhi’s name reminds me of an incident that happened in Howdy Modi,  paid & managed by Modi in 2019 in Texas with almost 50,000 attendees. Modi who is used to  bashing,  rather abusing Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and the first PM Jawahar Lal Nehru in his all-political rallies,  was forced to learn history of India and how the foreigners look at India. US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said, “India, like America, is proud of its ancient traditions to secure a future according to Gandhi’s teaching and Nehru’s vision of India as a secular democracy where respect for pluralism and human rights safeguard every individual.” He also recalled that Nehru on the eve of Independence had spoken of Gandhi’s ambition “to wipe every tear from every eye” and that “as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.” “In that sense, the work of our country is not over.”

Still the shameless and self-praising Modi  lied in 8-10 Indian languages, “All is well in India”. He is “Promoting Transparency, Public Participation , and is  anti-corruption” by gutting the Right To Information, turning the CBI & ED into agencies that give Free Ride to the politicians & corporates that are on his side of the political divide and put anyone in jail who opposes Modi! Recently his government brought a Bill in Parliament that to be a Fact Checker you must have government approval. Bravo Modi Ji.

Then on June 21, 2023, Modi created a bigger extravaganza- a narrative – by promoting Yoga in USA to fool the American public. Modi will use this for his re-election campaign that he is the one who got Yoga international recognition and he is the only one who can promote Hindu ideology abroad and can protect Hindus in India.

Entire mainstream Indian Media owned by his billionaire friends who stole public wealth, since Ap ril 2023, is paddling Modi’s USA visit as if no other PM has ever been invited on a state visit to US,  or to address the US Congress. PM Manmohan Singh was the first who  visited USA on an “Official State Visit”, addressed  US Congress and had dinner at the White House in 2009. Jawahar Lal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, and Atal Behari Vajpayee of Modi’s BJP have  also addressed US Congress before Singh & Modi.

It is customary for US President and the foreign leader on Official State Visit to have a joint press conference. First,  Modi refused a press conference, and  then agreed with a condition that only 2 reporters can ask questions. Modi’s aides insist that social media, which his party’s vast communications apparatus has mastered, has made news conferences redundant.

When questioned about India’s human rights record. Modi said, ‘I’m actually really surprised that people say so,’ he started his answer, then adding, ‘there’s absolutely no discrimination neither on the basis of caste, creed, or age’ or any kind of geographic location.’

Sabrina Siddiqui of the Wall Street asked both leaders about human rights, pointing to Modi that while India has ‘long prided itself as the world’s largest democracy’ a number of human rights groups have said ‘your government has discriminated against religious minorities and sought to silence its critics.’ Modi pushed back telling the journalist, ‘India is indeed a democracy.’

‘Democracy is in our DNA. Democracy is our spirit; democracy runs in our veins. We live democracy and our ancestors have actually put words to this concept and that is in the form of our Constitution,’ Modi continued.

‘Our constitution and our government have always proved that democracy can deliver. And when I say deliver, this is regardless of caste, creed, religion, gender, there’s absolutely no space for discrimination,’ Modi said.

Whereas the fact is under Modi since 2002 as CM of Gujarat and after becoming PM of India in 2014, minorities,  namely Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhist, tribals and dissidents are undergoing intensely antidemocratic censorship, discrimination, and extrajudicial violence and long jail terms under repressive colonial British laws.

In India, Modi is not answerable to anyone including print and TV media on any matter related to the wellbeing of Indians or his anti-minorities policies or his party re-writing Indian history with false narratives.  The Media’s job is only to praise Modi 24X7 in every Indian language, trash all the opposition leaders, Islam, Christianity, and other religious minorities including Tribals and Dalits. Neither Modi gives a chance to foreign media to ask him about minorities undergoing religious discrimination, public beatings, and lynchings, nor does  he want to answer uncomfortable questions like India slipping to 107 out of 121 countries in UN’s Hunger Index or 132 in Human Development Index,  or 135 out of 146 in Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum. Thomson Reuters Foundation calls India the world’s most dangerous country for women.  Cato Institute, which measures human freedom, downgraded India between 2015 and 2022 from 75 to 112.  India ranks 160 out of 180 countries in Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Boarders in 2022. They cited violence against journalists with an average 3-4 journalists killed in connection with their work every year.

People should know that BJP  and Modi’s  own Cabinet of Ministers have the most criminals in the current Indian Parliament. Out of 303 BJP MP’s, 116 have criminal records,  including one charged with bomb making,  a terrorism accused,  and 22 are in Modi Cabinet .Out of that number, 16 ministers have serious criminal cases registered against them. Serious criminal cases include terrorism, treason, arson, murder, rape, robbery, burglary, communal disharmony/hate speeches, electoral law violations, and kidnapping, among others.

Unfortunately, of the 539 winning candidates analyzed by the ADR, as many as 233 MPs or 43% have criminal charges. Nearly 29% of the cases are related to rape, murder, attempt to murder or crime against women. “There is an increase of 109% [in 2019] in the number of MPs with declared serious criminal cases since 2009,” it said. If that is the plight of  India’s Parliament and government run by criminals; one can for sure say the states must be doing worse than that!

I leave it to the fellow Americans,  especially the Indian Americans,  to do some serious thinking why America under its morally and ethically corrupt politicians, is  supporting foreign leaders who are communal and criminal,  like Narendra Modi.

Comments are welcome.

(The author is a social activist, based in New Jersey. He can be reached at davemakkar@yahoo.com)