2002 Riots: Now, Obama takes another step to impress Narendra Modi

Washington, July 31: President of America --

has been trying to impress India's Prime Minister

ahead of their highly speculated meeting. Taking a further step to woe Modi, Obama's administration for the first time since 2007 dropped all references to Modi with regard to the 2002 Gujarat communal riots in its annual International Religious Freedom Report.

Secretary of States -- John Kerry ahead of his maiden India visit released the religious freedom report for 2013 in Washington DC on Monday, July 28.

US earlier had denied a visa for a decade for his dubious role in the 2002 Gujarat communal riots. Media reports quoted experts as saying that the denial of visa to Modi was seen as a major point of contention between the United States and the new NDA regime ever since it came to power after its landslide victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

However, White House has been under pressure to change its position on the issue of denying visa to Modi ever since he became the prime minister of India.

Media reports, however, claimed that hundreds of cases related to the burning of a railway coach and the subsequent violence in Gujarat will remain pending.

President Barack Obama earlier had invited Modi to Washington. The PM will be visiting the US in September 2014 to meet Obama and to address the UN General Assembly.

OneIndia News