Not all in South Africa are happy with Narendra Modi's visit there

Johannesburg, July 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached South Africa on Thursday (July 7) night from Mozambique in his four-nation tour and is expected to visit a number of places that are related with the memories of Mahatma Gandhi besides taking up issues related to politics and businesses with the African nation's leadership and meeting people. [India's dal diplomacy with Mozambique]

This is Modi's first official visit to South Africa as the prime minister and it came after the African country's president, Jacob Zuma, invoted him at the India-Africa Summit in New Delhi towards the end of 2015.

However, not all South Africans are happy with the PM's visit to their country. According to the country's IOL News, some branches of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and some Muslim organisations have objected to Modi being invited for an official visit and have written to South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation about it. [Modi to visit prison were Gandhi, Mandela were kept]

"The perception among Modi's detractors is that he has not been an inclusive head of state and was governor of Gujarat in 2002 when mobs dragged Muslims into the streets, many of whom were raped and killed," the report said.

Ela Gandhi, the granddaughter of the Mahatma who had been part of South Africa's freedom struggle and a former ANC politician who Modi would meet during the visit, said the latter knew about the criticism of Hindu extremists during her visit to Gujarat and sough presecution of the criminals.

"There have finally been some prosecutions, which is progress, but it took a long time," the IOL News quoted her as saying.

Oneindia News