Modi should contemplate on why U.S. is denying him a visa: Khurshid

New Delhi, Apr 26 (ANI): Union Law and Justice Minister Salman Khurshid on Thursday said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi should contemplate why the United States is still not in favour of giving him a visa.

"U.S. in their policy, I am sure they look at everything they want to look at. Not for us to comment on U.S. policy, but it's a matter of concern to our country that there is this kind of serious question mark on the personality of somebody, who leads a major state in our country," said Khurshid.

"It is sad that we have that. We hope that the person concerned will reflect upon this and think about it why the world thinks so poorly of him," he added.

The U.S. has said that there is no change in its visa policy with regard to Modi.

On February 27, 2002, a train was burned by a mob of Muslim extremists in the town of Godhra leading to 59 deaths, most of them Hindu pilgrims and activists returning from the holy city of Ayodhya.

Riots broke out in the state after rumours spread that it was caused by Muslims, leading to 1180 deaths, many of them Muslims. The Modi administration was accused of inaction over the riots and for encouraging them.

In April 2009, the Supreme Court of India appointed a special team of investigators to look into the role Modi had played in the alleged anti-Muslim conspiracy. The team was appointed in response to the complaint of Jakia Jafri, the widow of ex-Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was murdered in the riots.

The Supreme Court-appointed committee, however, found no evidence against Modi or 57 others in a case based on the 2002 communal riots filed against them by Zakia Jafri. (ANI)