File photo of PM Narendra Modi.
India very promptly and decisively made it clear, today, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "sovereign representative" was "ring fenced" and there was no question of anyone serving any summons on him and the proceedings in the matter were underway.
India's strong reaction came a day after a federal US court issued summons against Mr Modi on his alleged role in the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat, when he was the state chief minister. The summons were issued on the day PM Modi arrived in New York for a five day visit.
Realising the sensitivity of the matter, the White House moved swiftly and downplayed the issue. The White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest, clarified that the lawsuit was not going to have any impact on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's very important visit. The White House echoed the line chosen by the Indian foreign ministry by saying that the sitting heads of the government enjoy personal inviolability while in the US. This means they cannot be personally handed or delivered summons to begin the process of a lawsuit.
The External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin when asked about the summons said, "The Indian representative is ring fenced. There is no question of anyone serving any summons on India's sovereign representative. Lets make it very clear, there will be no such issues. The US State Department has also clarified today."
He said the government will handle the process in accordance with the procedure and action on that is underway.
The summons against Mr Modi were issued by US Federal Court for the Southern District of New York following a lawsuit filed by the New York-based American Justice Center (AJC), a non-profit human rights organization, along with two "unnamed" survivors of the 2002 Gujarat violence.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson, soon after Mr Modi landed at New York's JFK airport, had termed the case as a "frivolous and malicious attempt to distract attention from the visit of the Prime Minister to the United States General Assembly and a bilateral summit with the president of the United States."
"The India-American community in the US is also eagerly looking forward to the Prime Minister's visit and has prepared a rousing reception for him."
"The allegations in the case are baseless and are similar to other such allegations made in the past against the Prime Minister. The Supreme Court of India-monitored investigation has comprehensively examined and dismissed these allegations as baseless," he said.
"It is unfortunate that vested interests are raking up the matter only to vitiate the atmosphere during the visit. Appropriate steps are being taken to address the matter," he added.