US envoy Timothy J Roemer avoids queries on Narendra Modi

Ahmedabad, May 10: US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer today (May 10) skirted a question on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi by saying that he had been asked by President Barack Obama to connect with the people of India and not only focus on the PM and CMs.

When asked when was he going to do business with the Gujarat Chief Minister, Roemer said, "It is the people most important for us to connect with."

Gujarat Chief Minister Modi was denied visa by the US government in 2005 in the wake of post-Godhra communal riots in the state.

"The President of the United States had asked me to connect with the people of India. He gave me very good advice at the White House couple of years ago. He said do not only focus on Prime Minister, members of parliaments, business leaders, CEOs, chief ministers," Roemer said.

"He (Obama) had said connect with the hearts and minds of the people, the ''Aam Admi'', the common men and women of India," Roemer, who would be quitting in June, said.

"I have reached out in my travels in the last two years, to Jammu and Kashmir in North, Chennai in south, Sunderbans in the east and now to the west in Rajasthan and Gujarat (to connect with people)," he added.

PTI