SINGAPORE – JUNE 01: (CHINA OUT, SOUTH KOREA OUT) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the opening remarks during the Asia Security Summit, aka Shangri-La Dialogue on June 1, 2018 in Singapore. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
SINGAPORE – JUNE 01: (CHINA OUT, SOUTH KOREA OUT) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the opening remarks during the Asia Security Summit, aka Shangri-La Dialogue on June 1, 2018 in Singapore. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due in South Africa for the Brics summit this week, but he brings with him a fair share of controversy.
As EWN report, the PM will be thankful he’s got his diplomatic immunity.
He has been the head of state for his country since being elected in 2012 but cuts a divisive figure amongst India’s billion-strong population. The summit, which brings together the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is set to get underway on Thursday 26 June.
What is Narendra Modi accused of?
The Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA) want Modi to be arrested as soon as he steps foot in Mzansi, citing several human rights violations. This all stems back to a heinous incident in 2002, where sectarian violence saw a gang of Muslims attack a group of Hindu militants by setting fire to a train.
Over 100 people were killed, but Modi – who was then the chief minister of Gujarat – only fanned the flames of animosity. The American Justice Center previously filed a lawsuit against him for being complicit in the resulting riots, which claimed more than 1 000 lives.
The US once refused him a diplomatic visa over the incident, but have since welcomed him on state visits after he became PM.
The MLA are also enraged by the way he’s handled high-profile rape cases in India. The world was left reeling after two young girls had been viciously gang-raped in the country.
Modi has been accused of not taking any appropriate action and further upset his critics when he stated that “rape shouldn’t be politicised” back in April.
Will the Indian Prime Minister be arrested in South Africa?
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) did consider the MLA’s request to investigate him. However, spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku revealed on Friday that there simply isn’t enough evidence to secure a conviction against Modi.
“After evaluating the evidential material, information received and the applicable law, the NPA decided that there is presently inadequate evidence to sustain a successful prosecution and to support an application for a warrant of arrest.”
The final nail in this campaign’s coffin comes from the Brics summit itself. The gathering is protected by the Geneva Convention, which has laws against arresting serving heads of states if they are visiting for diplomatic purposes.
