2002 riots: Lawsuit against PM Narendra Modi dismissed by US judge

New York: A lawsuit against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which claimed that he failed to stop 2002 riots in Gujarat, was dismissed by a US judge in New York on Wednesday.

The civil suit had been filed by The American Justice Centre, a human rights group, against the PM.

The suit was thrown out by Judge Analisa Torres on the grounds that PM Modi was immune from the court`s jurisdiction after the United States government had said that he was entitled to immunity as a sitting head of government, as per AFP.

Joseph Whittington, the president of the human rights group and a city council member in Harvey, Illinois, had acknowledged in September last year, when the suit was filed, that the case had little chance of succeeding but had said there was victory in "symbolism", as per Reuters.

Modi had visited US in September last year after becoming the PM to address the UN General Assembly.

He then had dinner with President Barack Obama as his personal guest.

They were meeting for the first time.

Modi also addressed the India diaspora at the Madison Square Garden which was a sell-out event and his every word was lapped up by the audience who had gathered in thousands to hear him speak.

This was his first visit to the US since he was denied visa by the American government in 2005.

The denial of visa was said to cause the Obama government some embarrassment when Modi became the PM of India in May last year after leading his party, BJP, to victory in General Elections.

However, US President had immediately congratulated Modi then and the PM had responded in equal measure.

The decision on the lawsuit comes even as Obama is due to visit India to be part of the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 on the invitation of PM Modi.

With Agency inputs