This week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a four-day state visit to the United States. His reception by President Joe Biden comes amid growing concerns over human rights abuses by the Indian President. Modi has held the post of prime minister since 2014 and during his rule he has cracked down on dissidents, restricted press freedom, and persecuted Muslim populations and other minorities, while aggressively promoting Hindu nationalism that runs counter to the pluralistic vision of these minorities founded modern India. Because of his role in anti-Muslim riots that claimed more than 1,000 lives in 2002 in the state of Gujarat, where Modi was governor at the time, Modi was even banned from entering the United States for years. While that visit drew criticism from some progressive lawmakers, the White House sees India as a key partner in countering Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region. From Mumbai he contacts Democracy Now! Rana Ayyub, Indian journalist and international affairs columnist at The Washington Post.
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