Britain ‘snubs’ Modi, despite bonhomie

Says engaging Gujarat CM does not mean his endorsement

Britain, which has recently warmed up to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, made it clear today that any engagement with him was not an endorsement.

UK High Commissioner James Bevan said that he was not "in the awe of the man or his past" and that "any engagement (with Modi) does not necessarily mean endorsement." Bevan's remarks, during an interaction with a gathering at Jamia Millia Islamia University here after delivering a lecture, came only days after India groups of the country's two main political parties --Labour Party and the Conservative Party -- invited Modi to visit London to speak on "The Future of Modern India".

"It is a private invitation issued to the Gujarat Chief Minister by the members of British Parliament. The members of British Parliament are free to invite whoever they wish to invite. This is not an official invitation. This means that the British government has not extended the invitation to the Chief Minister," Bevan said.

The UK top envoy also expressed concern over alleged human rights violation in Gujarat, saying, "We do have human rights concerns. Three UK citizens were also killed in the riots and we want trial and justice for that. Engaging in conversation would be better to support our cause." Referring to his meeting with Modi last October, Bevan said, "I had a conversation with Gujarat Chief Minister in last October and it is good to know important people in a country. I am not in awe of the man or his past, I am here to do my job and any engagement does not necessarily mean endorsement."