JALANDHAR : Following the issue of Punjabi farmers facing eviction from Kutch region of Gujarat, the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has written to US President Barack Obama and senators not to consider granting visa to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi .

Expressing strong concern and resentment against the attempts of the Modi government to displace Sikh farmers, who had settled around five decades ago in Kutch, NAPA president Satnam Singh Chahal said they have also urged Obama and senators to declare Modi as a communal figure and black list him in US.

"Concerted efforts to evict the Sikh farmers once again reflect communal politics of Modi. There is great resentment among the Punjabi community in North America about the uprooting of Sikh farmers from Kutch. Our community is of the view that this is the real communal face of Modi as he is not ready to accept any minority," Chahal said, adding that silence of the Gujarat CM also proved his anti-minority attitude.

The NAPA chief said it was ironical that despite media reports highlighting concerns of Sikh farmers and statements by Akali leaders, there has been no response from either Modi or any spokesman of Gujarat government. "Even the BJP high command is silent on this important issue, which involves the question of survival of a thousand farmers, who toiled hard to make the barren land fertile," he alleged, adding that the BJP unit of Punjab should answer the people of the state and Punjabi diaspora on the issue.

Punjab Congress threatens to gherao Modi

Jalandhar: Punjab Congress has warned BJP that in case Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi failed to give justice to Sikh farmers of Kutch region, who are being evicted, it would be left with no option but to "gherao" him. On Sunday, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira said they would not let Modi enter the state till the aggrieved Sikh farmers of Gujarat get complete rights of their lands. Khaira said Congress also dares Akali Dal that if it really cared for the sentiments of Sikh farmers of Gujarat, it should snap ties with BJP if Modi does not return the Sikh farmers' land back.

