The misgivings entertained till now in the West regarding the advisability of doing business as usual with Mr Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, are showing signs of subsiding.
That is the message that comes out loud and clear from the visit of Mr James Bevan, the British High Commissioner to India, to Gujarat on October 22, 2012. Till now, the UK was following in the footsteps of other European Union countries in avoiding any governmental, including diplomatic, interaction with the government of Gujarat in general and Mr Modi in particular. This policy of avoidance of interaction was a sequel to the widespread communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 and the deaths of three Muslims of British origin in the state during the riots. This policy of avoidance of governmental interactions did not, however, stand in the way of British investors—of Gujarati as well as non-Gujarati origin—investing in Gujarat.
The decision to end the policy of avoidance of governmental interactions was announced by Mr Hugo Swire, a minister in the British Foreign Office, some weeks ago. While announcing the decision, he said: “ This will allow us to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest in Gujarat. We want to secure justice for the families of the British nationals who were killed in 2002.” It was in pursuance of this announcement that Mr Bevan visited Gujarat.
Among those he reportedly met during his visit were Mr Modi himself, Ms Kamala Beniwal, the Governor of the state, and Mr Arjun Modhvadia, the President of the state Congress. Reading between the lines of the statements and observations of Mr Bevan, two significant points are evident.
First, the UK continues to attach importance to the question of human rights in Gujarat.