http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ar ... Mar18.html
First of all, Modi is a maniac. For those of you who don't remember the story, in February-March 2002 there were religious riots in his state following the sabotage of a train (with a lot of hindu devotees in it) allegedly by muslims. Lots of rapes and murders...initially it was only the muslims under attack, but then they started to fight back and it was a mess. Modi was the chief minister at the time... and not only did he do nothing to stop the riots, but he actually had policemen transferred to other areas if they tried to protect muslims from hindu mobs.People close to him were actually seen inciting mobs.
He then won the next elections with quite a substantial majority.
Since then, no one has been able to legally prove that Hindus did anything wrong...in every case the witnesses turn hostile or say they're scared to tell the truth.
The Gujarat riots were the most painful thing I'd ever had to deal with. I hate the man.
BUT. He WON the last elections. It would appear that the people of Gujarat CHOSE him to be their leader, despite (because of?) what he had done. And as long as the US runs aroud yelling about democracy, can they really deny a visa to a democratically elected leader? It's a bit of an insult to India.
And all it's done is to increase Modi's popularity in Gujarat...there's been a lot of dissent against him lately, even within his own party/ This has put an end to all that.