India Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces damages claims in US court over Gujarat riots
Non-profit human rights group the American justice Centre pursues damages in US court against Indian leader over 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat state
A US court has ordered Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer allegations that he failed to stop anti-Muslim rioting when he was chief minister of Gujarat, overshadowing his first trip to the United States as his country’s leader.
The civil case before a New York court seeks compensatory and punitive damages from Modi for crimes against humanity and extrajudicial killings under the Alien Tort Claims Act and the Torture Victim Protection Act. Modi has 21 days to respond.
The petitioner in the case is the American Justice Centre, a non-profit human rights organisation, acting on behalf of two survivors of the 2002 riots in the western Indian state.
“There is evidence to support the conclusion that minister Modi committed both acts of intentional and malicious direction to authorities in India to kill and maim innocent persons of the Muslim faith,” the petition said.
“The evidence against him is based on conjecture as the courts in India have found. This case won’t make much difference.”
After years of being unwelcome in the United States, Modi arrives for a five-day visit on Friday in New York, where he will speak at the United Nations before travelling on to Washington for talks with President Barack Obama.