Fanatic Hindu Nationalist BJP ( INP) MODI .

Modi's US tour plans run into troubleAdd to ClippingsTIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2005 GANDHINAGAR: Faced with internal dissension within theBJP and growing protests in the US, doubts aresurfacing on whether Narendra Modi will embark uponhis proposed trip to the US later this month, hisfirst ever as chief minister.The refusal of Chris Matthews, a top-ranking talk-showhost, to share the platform with Modi on March 24 atthe Asian-American Hotel Owners' Association (AAHOA)meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has come as ajolt to the Modi establishment here.While a spokesperson for Matthews, who features onMSNBC's 'Hardball' programme, has announced that hisboss would not share platform "due to schedulingconflict", it is learnt that human rights activistshad flooded Matthews with e-mails, urging him todistance himself from Modi for "alleged culpability inthe Gujarat riots".American Express,the chief sponsor of the AAHOA event,too has been flooded with e-mails to withdraw itselffrom the programme.Nearer home, with the rebellion against Modi buildingup in the last few days, doubts are being expressed inthe Sachivalaya on whether he would go to the US. Ifthere are any lessons to be drawn from recent history,it was exactly ten years back when former chiefminister Keshubhai Patel faced a similar rebellion in1995 while he was on a US trip.A senior bureaucrat informed that Modi still awaits adiplomatic visa from the US consulate in Mumbai.Already, 30 human-rights activists have written to theUS secretary of state Condoleeza Rice to block thesaid trip. Among the signatories to the letter are theDirector of the Religious Freedom Programme, Nina Sheaand the advocacy director at Human Rights Watch,Thomas Malinowski.Activists say that the human rights violations inGujarat have been documented in State Departmentreports. "We're not trying to tell them anythingdifferent than what they don't already know," saidBenjamin Marsh of the Washington-based Institute onReligion and Public Policy.Modi is also scheduled to make a speech to anIndian-American group at Madison Square Garden onMarch 20 before he visits Florida. "I don't see anyreason why he should be stopped from coming here," anorganiser of the New York event, Sunil Nayak, said."The purpose of the trip is strictly business.Basically, he's coming here to let people know whatdevelopment has taken place in Gujarat."The AAHOA's membership predominantly consists ofimmigrants from Gujarat. Its decision to honour Modiat its convention and trade fair on March 24-26 hasbeen a controversial issue within the organisation,with one group resisting the move all along. One ofthe arguments being quoted in the US against Modi'svisit is the glorification of Hitler in schooltextbooks in Gujarat. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~