Rashida Tlaib, US Politicians To Boycott PM Modi’s Address To Congress, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez

Numerous US Democrats have declared their intention to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech to the joint session of the US Senate and House because “Modi’s government has targeted Muslims and religious minorities,” despite extensive preparations for it. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the most recent person to join the boycott.

The State Dinner, which will be hosted by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden on Thursday at the South Lawn of the White House and is anticipated to draw 400 guests, is on PM Modi’s agenda. During his visit, Prime Minister Modi will also give a speech to the joint session of the US Congress.

Who will abstain from the address?

Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, two Democratic Party members who are Muslim, said on Thursday that they will not be attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the joint session of the US Congress because “the Modi government has repressed religious minorities.”

“The administration of Prime Minister Modi has persecuted religious minorities, strengthened violent Hindu nationalist organisations, and arbitrarily targeted journalists and human rights activists. I’m not going to Modi’s address,” Ilhan Omar said.

Rashida Tlaib, a congresswoman, also said in a letter that it is “shameful” that Prime Minister Modi be given a platform in Washington. It is dishonourable that Modi has been granted a platform in the capital of our country; his lengthy history of violating human rights, taking anti-democratic measures, persecuting Muslims and other religious minorities, and censoring journalists is intolerable. I’m going to abstain from Modi’s joint speech to Congress, she said.

AOC, or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, said that she would be joining other leftists in abstaining from the address. The New York Democrat said on Twitter on Wednesday, “I encourage my colleagues who stand for pluralism, tolerance, and freedom of the press to join me in doing the same.”

She said that a joint speech is one of the highest honours and invitations the US Congress can bestow, and that it shouldn’t be given to those with “deeply troubling human rights records.”

She highlighted Modi’s prior entry restriction into the US, which was imposed “because of his violations of religious freedom, including his complicity in an anti-Muslim riot that resulted in over 1,000 deaths.” According to the Press Freedom Index, India is now ranked 161 out of 180, in part because of Modi’s raids on BBC India’s offices and his legal actions against a critical documentary. India is at a high danger of mass executions, according to a study from the US Holocaust Museum, she said in a statement.

President Joe Biden was meeting with Prime Minister Modi earlier on Wednesday, and Bernie Sanders had asked him to bring up problems.

The administration of Prime Minister Modi has repressed the media and civil society, imprisoned political rivals, and promoted an assertive Hindu nationalism that leaves little room for religious minorities in India. In his meeting with Modi, President Biden need to bring up these facts, Sanders tweeted.

Whether Sanders will show up for Modi’s address is yet unknown.

In addition, up to 75 Democratic senators and representatives sent a letter to US President Joe Biden requesting that he discuss human rights concerns with PM Modi. This information was reported by the Hindustan Times.

In the letter, it was stated that although “we do not endorse any particular Indian leader or political party—that is the decision of the people of India,” “we do stand in support of the important principles that should be a core part of American foreign policy.”

Indian American Congresspeople
Despite demands for a boycott, according to TIME, five Indian American members of Congress will attend the speech: Ami Bera of California, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Ro Khanna of California, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, and Shri Thanedar of Michigan.

Former vice chairman of the National Commission for Minorities Atif Rasheed responded to the boycott calls by saying, “I belong to a religious minority of India, but I live freely with my religious freedom and religious identity in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s India, I have an equal share in every resource here, and I have the freedom to speak whatever I want in India.”

In India, I am free to write anything I want. I regret to inform you that, in line with your hateful goal, you are portraying My India incorrectly. Stop spewing poison from your lips, the man continued.

Thursday’s high-level discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden will follow a private meeting in the White House’s Oval Office to further advance the expanding Indo-US strategic ties in fields including defence, space, and key technology.

The visit of Prime Minister Modi to Washington and his discussions with President Biden have been described as a “opportunity to enrich the depth and diversity of our partnership.”