New Delhi: The controversy over MPs' letter to US President Barack Obama against a visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is growing big with allegations of forged signatures. While CPM MP Sitaram Yechury has denied signing the letter saying it appears to be a cut-paste job, Independent MP Mohammed Adeeb has now said that he will take Yechury to court if he thinks he was cheated.
Speaking to CNN-IBN, Adeeb said, "I am shocked, I don't believe that a person like Yechury can say like this. I have his signature. His name is on number 9. How can I paste it? I am a member of Parliament and I cannot do such a thing. If he thinks I have cheated him, I will take him to court."
He also said he's open to any inquiry. When asked about other MPs denying having signed the letter, Adeeb said, "There must be some party policy binding them." He also challenged Yechury saying, "I challenge Yechury to take action against me. I have full right to write to the President of the United States." "The main issue of modi not getting visa has been lost," Adeeb added.
Adeeb had earlier said, "Yechury must have forgotten about it as the letter is six-months-old or he must be thinking that I have written some new letter and forgigng his signature. This is a letter which he signed in Novemebr 2012. His name is there."
This came after Sitaram Yechury, CPI MP KP Achutan and DMK MP KP Ramalingam denied signing any letter to Obama against granting a visa to Modi. A total of 65 Members of Parliament had written to Obama urging him not to issue a US visa to Modi.
Yechury, whose name figures at number 9 on the letter written in late 2012, on Tuesday had also refuted claims that he was one of the MPs who has sought to Obama to halt Modi's visit. He had said, "I would be the last person to write to the US Administration and to do something like this. We don't want anyone to interfere in the internal affairs of the country. Secondly, it is up to the US government to decide on giving visa."
Yechury has now said, "I deny having signed any such letter. The one circulating in cyberspace, now many months after it was allegedly signed, is typed on the letterhead of a MP which carries the insignia of our national symbol, the Ashok
Chakra. The heading under which some signatures are appended says, 'names and signatures of Indian MPs'. Strange, which other country's MPs would sign on the letterhead of the Indian Parliament? This itself sugests some efforts at cut and paste."
Adeeb took the initiative for this campaign and had said that they sent letters to Obama again because of the current campaign and initiative being taken by BJP President Rajnath Singh for getting a US visa for Modi. Rajanth, who is on a visit to Washington, will meet US lawmakers, think tanks and the US government officials during which he said he will urge the Americans to lift the ban on visa for Modi.
Meanwhile, the BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said it seems to be a jugal bandi of congress abroad. "It's an issue of privilege motion also against the MP's as they are speaking against democratically-elected Chief Minister. There should be a case of fabrication and forgery against these people as Sitaram Yechury denied signing letter," she added.
The Congress too has washed its hands of the Modi visa controversy saying it does not make a difference to them whether or not Modi is granted a US Visa. Party General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said, "We have nothing to do with it. It is upto the US govt to issue visa to Modi."
Modi has been denied visa by the US for the last several years over allegations of human rights violations during the 2002 riots in Gujarat. A total of 65 MPs wrote letter to Obama in late 2012 against granting Modi a US visa. While one letter was signed by 25 Rajya Sabha MPs, the other was signed by 40 Lok Sabha members. The letters were written on November 26 and December 5, 2102 respectively and re-faxed to the White House on Sunday.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had welcomed the move by the MPs. "This letter is a good step. America refused Modi a visa once before because of the 2002 riots. In the same way Rajnath is bowing to America to get Modi a visa, upright MPs must come forward to oppose this request and put pressure on the US to keep men like this from entering the US," NCP leader Tariq Anwar had said.
The letter to Obama had said, "Given that legal cases against the culprits including many senior officials in Mr. Modi's administration are still pending in the court of law, any revoking of the ban at this juncture would be seen as a dismissal of the issues concerning Mr. Modi's role in the horrific massacres of 2002.
"It would legitimise Mr. Modi's human rights violations and seriously impact the nature of US-India relations by sending a message that the United States values economic interests over and above the universal values of human rights and justice," the letter had said.
The signatories include Sabir Ali and Ali Anwar Ansari (Janata Dal-U), Rasheed Masood (Congress), S Ahmed (Trinamool Congress) Asaduddin Owaisi (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen), Thirumavalavan (Viduthalai Chiruttaigal Katchi), KP Ramalingam (DMK) and SS Rasmasubbu (Congress).
The MPs had alleged that Modi had not only "obstructed" the course of justice but also "failed" to provide rehabilitation to 16,000 survivors who continue to live in refugee colonies lacking basic amenities.
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